The much-loved and award-winning Aberystwyth Farmers’ Market is relocating from Saturday, 16 August.

The market, which started along North Parade and in recent years has been held at the old Arriva Depot near Park Avenue stadium, is to now be held on the street by the Market Hall at the top of Great Darkgate Street, Ceredigion County Council has said.

A council spokesperson said: “From this date forward, the market will continue its regular schedule on the first and third Saturday of each month, with new opening hours from 9:00am to 1:00pm.

“This move follows four successful years at the Arriva site, where the market benefitted from strong footfall, easy loading, and convenient parking.

“However, several regular stallholders have now expressed a desire for change, and with the support of Ceredigion County Council, who manage the market, the transition has been made to better suit their needs.

“The previous site will be modified to extend the county council’s parking facilities in Maesyrafon car park.

“Visitors can expect to see many familiar faces among the stallholders, offering a rich selection of local produce, artisan foods, handmade crafts, and unique gifts, all in the same warm, welcoming environment the market is known for.”

Cllr Clive Davies, Ceredigion County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration, added: “It's well worth a visit to the Farmers Market in Aberystwyth. It's a vibrant hub of local culture, where producers and residents connect, local businesses thrive, and the community comes together to celebrate the best of Ceredigion’s food."

The food market was named the best in the UK in 2014.

The plans to extend parking spaces at Maesyrafon were approved in May.

The scheme will see the old Arriva site and current car park creating space for 251 vehicles and is intended to replace the parking spaces lost by the extension of the walkway along the promenade at south beach.

The development will also include a dedicated electric vehicle zone that will cater for 17 vehicles and 20 disabled spaces.

As part of the plans the existing boundary wall between Maesyrafon and the current car park will be removed and replaced by a 4m wide path and tree replanting.

That part of the plan came in for criticism from local resident and local town councillor Mair Benjamin, who asked committee members to reject the plans at the meeting.

Aberystwyth Town Council “welcomed the efforts being made to provide additional parking spaces in Aberystwyth” but objected to the scheme due to “concerns over the development’s impact on flood risk.”

Documents said that Natural Resources Wales “considered the matter of flooding and are content that the scheme is acceptable from a flooding perspective.”

The Arriva bus depot was demolished in 2015 for commercial re-development by Ceredigion County Council, “however its location within a Zone C1 floodplain constrains the type of development that can be built.”

The council said that the parking solution would be an “interim” use for the site, if flooding concerns over commercial development could be solved.