A YEAR after the opening of Taunton Independent Market (TIM), the event is set to return once again.

Visitors to the Sunday market in Taunton will be pleased to here it is starting again next month, in line with the easing of coronavirus restrictions.

The monthly markets have not been running for the past three months, but are set to start again once non-essential retail can open.

TIM will return to Castle Green in Taunton on Sunday, April 18.

Organiser of the markets, Michelle Beck, is looking forward to their return - and has exciting plans for the future.

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"Once restrictions are lifted completely, we would love to grow the market and use the High Street, East Street, Hammett Street and more - with different sections, such as arts stalls and a vintage and reclamation section," said Ms Beck.

"At the moment we have some amazing food producers, but the idea would be to grow the market and have different sections too.

"We would also love to run a weekly Saturday market in the summer and run some specialist markets (for example a vegan market), as well as Christmas markets in the winter months."

TIM began a year ago, on March 8 2020, when ricket legend Marcus Trescothick cut the ribbon to open the event.

The markets run every second Sunday of the month, but have been cancelled the last three months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, Ms Beck says there will still be strict guidelines in April at the market, dependent on the advice issued by Public Health England.

"The market is outdoors, we will have Covid measures in place and will count the number of visitors to make sure the market is not crowded," added Ms Beck.

"As an event organiser, I haven't worked since December and I know we all just want to get back to some normality.

"The market is really beneficial for the town. We work with local shops and we want to bring Taunton town centre back to how we all want it to be.

"So 52 weeks have passed and it is safe to say it definitely hasn't gone to plan - but we can't wait to return to Castle Green on April 18, and we are really looking forward to welcoming everyone back."