A CAMPAIGN to encourage local people to shop at Nelson's indoor market, The Admiral's Market Place, is to be launched this weekend.

The 'Keep It Local' campaign has been launched by the Council-run market hall and will be on-going for the foreseeable future.

The market hall has 65 stalls selling virtually everything one can find in a department store.

"The market hall sells everything from shoe repairs to hair cuts and everything in between," said Iain Wharton, manager of The Admiral's Market Place.

"All the things that you can find in a major store are sold in the market hall. More importantly, you will be served in all probability by the business owner or their family who has an in-depth knowledge of the products on sale and you don't pay major store prices!"

The campaign will be launched on Saturday. All stalls will display posters with their stall name and the strap line: "Serving Nelson - Keep It Local".

Shoppers can enter a competition to win shopping vouchers that can be redeemed at any of the stalls.

On the day, there will be a face painter inside the market and a bouncy castle outside to entertain young children who will be offered balloons.

Iain added: "The campaign is to encourage local people to continue to shop locally. We want to remind local people that the market hall has been serving the local community for many years and offers warm and personal service, all the things you need under one roof, and great prices."

The campaign will support the existing customer loyalty scheme that the market has been operating for more than three years.

Almost 40 people have won one of the monthly prizes -- such as televisions, fridges, vacuum cleaners, stereos -- by simply collecting stamps when they have shopped there and then deposited a card with one of the stall holders.