TOP Lancashire chef Nigel Haworth has been lined up to formally open Blackburn’s £8million new market.

The Michelin-Starred Northcote maestro is set to be the star of the opening ceremony, on July 9, for the new complex, which started trading for the first time this week.

Yesterday footfall continued to be ‘well above average’, stall-holders reported.

It was also revealed that more shoppers had flocked to the town’s shopping centre.

Official figures will be revealed next week, but the Lancashire Telegraph understands they will show a marked increase, which has been linked to the first day’s trading in the ground-floor complex of the shopping centre extension in Church Street.

Many of the stalls were trading for the first time on a Thursday yesterday, with much of the market having moved to a six-day operation from the three day’s opening that many practiced at the old market building.

Market traders chief Eileen Hargreaves said: “It was the first big test for some of the traders, especially the food stalls, as Thursday has not traditionally been a market day.”

Many people who visited the new market on its ‘manic’ first day had been simply looking around the long-awaited centre.

Ms Hargreaves added: “There was lots and lots of footfall, and now we need to make the most of it.

“However, I have spoken to a number of the traders and they picked up some new customers, which is very positive.

“There were far more people than a usual Thursday say two months ago.”