THEY have promised to leave their mark on Southampton city centre.

The team behind Southampton Tattoo Festival has become Southampton’s new market operator.

Antiques, crafts, food and vintage goods will be on offer every weekend in Above Bar Street, from later this month.

Nathan Alexander, owner of Hampshire Markets, said: “We’re hoping to re-establish it as a good market so people come in for the shops and the market, instead of wandering outside WestQuay and saying ‘oh, there’s a market’. We want to bring a community feel back to it.

“When the market’s not on it’s quite a big empty area – when the market’s on it’s got that bustling feel.

“It attracts people from all around because it offers a variety of goods you can’t necessarily buy in stores. It’s also promoting local businesses who are getting into markets to sell their wares.”

There will be live music, entertainment and kid’s activities at a formal launch on Saturday April 30, bringing together parts of each market to offer “a bit of everything”.

From January to October the firm will be in Above Bar Street, with the city’s popular Christmas Festival taking over in November and December.

General stalls will be open on Fridays, with a different specialist market on every Saturday.

There will be antiques and collectibles on the first Saturday of the month, arts and crafts on the second, artisan food on the third and vintage and retro markets on the fourth.

The company runs the tattoo festival and Yellow Vintage Fairs across the region but is entering the street market business for the first time.

It won the three-year contract, which can be extended until 2021, through an open tender by Southampton City Council.

Cllr Satvir Kaur, cabinet member for communities, culture and leisure, said: “It’s important to Southampton that its city centre flourishes and becomes a welcoming and vibrant place that caters for local people and draws in visitors to shop here.

“I’m hopeful our new market operator will add to the animation of the area and the city.

“I’m particularly excited about the new weekly specialist markets which will give visitors even more reasons to visit our city centre and enjoy what’s on offer.”

For more information, visit hampshiremarkets.co.uk.