The Treacle Market is set to make a return to Macclesfield's streets for the first time in six months after stopping due to the lockdown.

The market will return on Sunday 30 August but it will be smaller than normal with no music, tables and benches to ensure social distancing is maintained.

Organisers envisage it will be more of a 'shop and go' experience to ensure too many people do not gather.

Organiser Jane Munro said: "We are committed to enabling small businesses to trade again and giving shoppers the chance to reengage with the delicious and beautiful goods they have been missing but in a modest and sensible way. Everyone's safety is our priority."

Traders will wear masks or visors and use antibacterial cleanser on their hands and stalls and this will be available throughout the open air market for visitors to use as well.

They ask shoppers to treat this market differently to normal and not see it is a social event and to simply do their shopping and go.

There will be delicious street food stalls as usual but ask diners to take their food away not eat it at the market.

"It will be very sad not to have music at the market and we will be missing favourites such as Annie's saints and Sinners and Morris dancers but it is essential that we do not encourage people to gather together," Jane added.

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The reduced number of stalls will allow for more generous spacing and the removal of former pinch points.

Jane explained: "We are asking shoppers to help us make this pared back version of the market as safe as possible."

Should you feel unwell or show signs of Covid-19 please do not attend.

Shoppers are encouraged to move around the market and queue respecting the two metre social distancing rule.

Organisers have also asked people to bring their own shopping bags and use contactless payment when possible to minimise handling by trader and shopper.

Jane said: "Whilst we would have been permitted to reopen the market before now we care deeply about the town we are a part of and have deliberately hung back and taken our time.

"We really hope shoppers will respect that we are taking small steps – this isn't the Treacle Market we normally present but ask everyone to support our traders and respect each other with patience and good humour."

They will have 'Treacle Volunteers' on the day reminding people about social distancing and to help ensure large crowds don't gather and have also asked coach companies not to attend.

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Jane added she is extremely grateful to many Treacle traders who have stepped back to ensure they can deliver a much smaller market than usual and "their generosity of spirit is typical of the Treacle community".

"It goes without saying we are all so looking forward to seeing our loyal Macc customers who have supported us so determinedly over the last ten years and please know we will be grinning like Cheshire cats under those masks on the day," she said.