Lions market finds historic new home

The market attracted hundreds of people every second Sunday to the carpark in Bethlehem Town Centre. Photo / File

Bethlehem Town Centre's loss will be Tauranga Historic Village's gain when a popular community market moves to the village next month.

The market that attracts hundreds of people every second Sunday to the carpark in Bethlehem Town Centre has been forced to move because of major changes planned for the shopping centre.

Bethlehem Lions Club selected the Historic Village for its community market after looking at 16 other sites.

And although it has not finalised the paperwork, the club's market organiser Alf Holst said both the club and the village wanted it to happen.

The village had the bonus of public facilities like toilets and all-weather surfaces, unlike some of the other sites they looked at.

Mr Holst was confident that the new location would work because it was not a big drive for Bethlehem residents and would make little difference to the many non-Bethlehem people who enjoyed the market.

He believed the unique atmosphere of the Historic Village would be a bonus for the market which has been running for seven years. Stalls would be set up on along village kerbs.

Village custodian Vinnie Wiersma said they needed something extra to get more people down to the village. "I'm over the moon, this is what we needed."

He said the village had done everything it could to make it happen. The atmosphere would be boosted by the village's existing retailers opening their doors. "It will be great ... it's all systems go."

Mr Wiersma said the village had proven to be a very successful venue for markets.

"There is such a positive vibe down here at the moment," he said.

The Bethlehem Lions Community Market was held every first and third Sunday. Two more markets would be held at the Bethlehem Town Centre, on February 15 and March 1.

Tauranga Harbour City Lions was also having to find a new venue for its annual book sale after being told that the empty shop next to Smiths City would not be available.

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