A CAFE culture initiative in Devizes is proving a hit with locals and visitors alike.

Tables have been set up next to the fountain in the Market Place so that people who want to buy a coffee from nearby cafes or just take a break from shopping have somewhere to sit.

Owners of nearby Times Square cafe were keen to have more outside space for its customers and have been pleased by the reaction.

Market manager Mark Hill said: “The seating is working really well. When the weather is nice it is lovely to see people sat out there chatting, drinking coffee and just relaxing.

“It has worked very well and I think it is achieving what we set out to do to help cafe owners such as Times Square. So fare the feedback has been very positive.”

After years of controversy over how the Market Place should be split between parking and community space the seating area seems to have united the town with many people taking to social media to applaud the idea.

Town council direct services manager Sarah Williams said: “We want people to pop along to the new look Market Place where we have created the seated area to allow them to enjoy a (socially distanced) drink from one of our lovely independent coffee shops.”

The town council is taking over the running of the Market Place from Wiltshire Council as part of an asset transfer deal. Most of the time the majority of space will remain as paid-for parking managed by Wiltshire Council.

But the town council will be able to offer it free of charge for community events such as the International Street Festival, Food Festival and Christmas light switch-on.

The cafe culture initiative is being backed by the newly formed Devizes Indie group set up by independent traders keen to get people back shopping in the town.

Justina Pettifer, who helped set up the group, has now invited Devizes MP Danny Kruger along with the Labour party’s Rachael Ross and Lib Dem Jo Waltham to visit the town next week to help further boost support for Devizes.

Justina said: “I want to give them an opportunity to show their support of the High Street.”

Mr Hill is also pleased that new traders are setting up shop in The Shambles indoor market and that the main Thursday outdoor market is attracting new stalls.

He said: “One of our previous tenants Soupchic has returned to the fixed pitches at the far end of the Shambles.

“She now has a double pitch and is very pleased to be back with us. We also have a new art and collectables stall.” Five pitches remain empty.

There is also a new cake stall on a Thursday at the Market Place end of the Shambles and several new food stalls in the outdoor market including Gourmet Goat.