SHOP keepers in Marlborough are to be asked if they would have any objections to a French market being held in the town.

Many Wiltshire towns including Devizes and Calne have had regular visits from the travelling French traders and now the Marlborough Area Development Trust is exploring the possibility of holding a French market in the town.

At last Thursday's meeting of the MADT, set up to seek ways of improving trade, housing and tourism in the Marlborough area, Christopher Davey, the chairman of its business sub-group, said the idea was under consideration.

Mr Davey said Christopher Joseph, the previous chairman of the business sub-group, had discussed with some traders the prospect of French Markets coming to Marlborough.

Mr Davey said: "Those selling the same type of products found on the markets are a little wary of having this in Marlborough."

Chamber of Commerce president, Anthony Wells, said he would like to have the opportunity to survey all of the chamber's retail members before saying whether the MADT proposal would find support among local shops.

Coun David Parker said he visited a French market in Devizes in April where there were about 30 bright and attractive stalls which, he thought, the local market traders could do worse than emulate.

Coun Parker said the French market organisers told him they had been trying to get into Marlborough for about five years.

"I believe it would be a good customer attraction to bring more people into the development trust area," said Coun Parker. "I had the feeling that the people in Devizes did welcome this overall because it did bring people into the town."

MADT chairman Melvyn Lillywhite said the idea would go 'on the back burner' while traders in Marlborough were consulted.

He urged members of the trust to visit the next French market in Devizes to see if they thought the town benefited and he asked for the comments of the Devizes Chamber of Commerce to be obtained.

Mr Lillywhite added: "The last thing we would want to do is upset the members of the chamber of commerce or other traders because this would negate what we are trying to do."