Market bosses will meet with shop owners next month in a bid to boost trade to their businesses.

Many shop traders in Whitehaven's Market Place have been calling on Copeland Council to help bring more custom to their businesses on the days the twice-weekly market is held in the town.

Copeland's elected mayor Mike Starkie said he is keen to find a solution and that his main aim is to bring more market traders to the town centre which will result in more footfall for the existing businesses.

He has organised a review meeting for the beginning of February and will invite all of the businesses.

When the market was relaunched last year, more than a dozen stalls filled the Market Place, attracting bumper visitors to the town.

However, last week there was only four stalls say the shop-owners, but the full road was completely closed.

And these business owners say this closure severely affects their trade, as customers are unable to park near to their shops to pop in to buy items.

David Dawson, of Wils Hambling Butchers, says he's losing trade permanently as people are unable to park outside of his shop on market days.

"It's creating further problems throughout the week because people are choosing to go elsewhere on market days, so we lose their trade and it's hard to get them back," he added.

"It's like a ghost town. There's no passing trade, if people do walk round the market stalls they don't come this far up to my shop."

Mr Dawson has aired his concerns to Mr Starkie, which he said he listened to, when he went to visit him in his shop last week.

"We'll have to wait and see what happens," added Mr Dawson.

Andrew McDowell, of McDowells Newsagents, said moving the market to King Street, or in the Green Market space at the bottom of the road, would be a preferred option.

"There was only four stalls here on Thursday but the whole road was closed so cars couldn't come down," said Mr McDowell.

"Thursday and Saturday, the two market days, are the worst two trading days of the week."

Another way the council is trying to solve the problem is by creating a new role for a markets officer, who will lead the ongoing development of the market.

Mr Starkie said the "ultimate aim" of the market – is to bring more footfall into the town, to support both the market traders and the existing town businesses.

He is keen to work with the shopkeepers and is inviting them to the meeting on February 2.

"We will continue to review the market and we are taking on board the feedback," he added. "The market officer will build and develop the market and will work alongside existing traders and shop keepers.

"The ultimate goal is to generate more footfall into town."