A NEW market boasting at least 30 stalls is set to open at a Southend shopping centre in a bid to boost custom and offer “something new” for shoppers.

As part of the continued transformation of the Victoria Shopping Centre, a weekly indoor market will have stalls selling jewellery, homeware, aroma therapy items and sweet treats and a range of other items.

Big Up Southend will launch the market on April 29 on the first floor of the shopping centre, running from 11am to 5pm once a month on a Saturday.

Since the council bought the centre for £10 million in December 2021, a wide variety of new units have opened up, including leisure attractions including SpyMissions and IndiRock, and an NHS blood testing centre.

Arts organisation Show Up Southend, rock climbing firm IndiRock, and the Design Cabin are behind the market.

Emily Vermont, chief executive of IndiRock, said “We’ve seen the vibe of the Victoria Centre flourish over the past year since Southend Council took it on, and we feel this marks an exciting new stage in that transformation.”

Businesses lined up for the market include Mallow Magic, Strawberry Interiors and Seaside Treasures.

Other changes at the shopping centre will include Boom Battle Bar - a bar offering axe throwing and a host of other interactive events - which is set to open this summer.

Esquires Coffee is also set to open a kiosk in the middle of the shopping centre by the end of this month.

Existing businesses in the shopping centre have welcomed the new market and wider work taking place at the shopping centre.

Trader Steve Kohler, 66, from Teddy Station, said: “The sooner we get more things going on in the centre the better.

“I think it’s going in the right direction and the more people coming into the centre, means the more people see our business.”

Shaz Seteudeh, director of Keisha’s Accessories, said: “I think the market is a fantastic idea and will help bring in more people who will visit other businesses too.

“I am very much looking forward to the changes and new business and this also creates more jobs too.”