A NEW £150,000 indoor market featuring a host of stalls and beer garden could be created in Leigh with plans revealed to transform a former shop.

Artisan Market Group is behind the proposals for the former CostCutter store in Leigh Road.

Exciting plans would include 22 stalls offering a range of items from food to gifts - with 200 applicants for stalls already.

Businessman Sam Giles, 28, company director and owner of Toppers and Toast next door, said the community response has been overwhelming.

He said: “We always travel to Borough Market in London to get top food and items and so we thought an indoor upmarket market would work great in Leigh.

“We put in an offer on the building and it was accepted. It will cost about £150,000 to convert the building and it’s also got a secret garden where people can have coffee and beer in the summer.

“We’ve had more than 200 applicants for the stalls so far and it’s going to be tough going through them all.”

He said he plans for it to be food lead with some stalls for arts and crafts.

It is hoped the market can become a “one stop shop” with a butchers also set to be included.

Early designs show a lush green frontage with large airy windows.

Artist impressions also show the beer garden with festoon lighting, planted flower beds and seating with wall art.

Mr Giles added: “The response in the community has really blown me away and been much better than I expected.

“The building is going ahead of schedule and is going well, the toughest bit will be going through all the applications.

“We want people to come back over and over due to good produce on offer.

“We want long and short term stall holders, including pop up businesses too. The building was in a complete state.

“It needed lots of work including a new flat roof, fire boarding, and we’re going back to existing brickwork to give an industrial feel.

“We are looking to have 22 stalls in there and hoping to have the secret garden open by April 21.”

He said it would be great to have the market open and ready for the end of April.

The hope is to create a busy and buzzing vibrant market.

Mr Giles was also quick to thank the community and insisted his team are working hard behind the scenes of offers for traders.

To register for a stall at the market see artisanmarketco.co.uk. To keep up to date with the project, visit instagram.com/artisanmarketlos/