THE Tuesday market at Waitrose car park has been axed with immediate effect.

Operators Grenchurch Ltd will move the market to the Council House car park and run it on a Friday instead.

The existing Friday market, operated by E G Skett and Co, is being discontinued after the company terminated its contract with Malvern Hills District Council.

Doug Cotton, markets executive for Grenchurch Ltd, said: "We're going to be running the Friday market as a consolidation of the two previous markets.

"All of the traders agreed to transfer to the Friday market at the Council House, which will hopefully lead to an improved market.

"I have every hope of building a market that is more successful, as Friday has been the established market day for many years."

Russell Dean, a spokesman for E G Skett and Co, said that low stall numbers led to the company withdrawing.

"The extra market day on Tuesday was the final nail in the coffin," he said.

At a meeting of Malvern Hills District Council on Tuesday, council leader Tom Wells said: "It's sad to see the Tuesday market go but let us see this as an opportunity to rationalise what had become rather confusing. This may help the long-term survival of the market."

The monthly Farmers' Market will continue to operate outside the Council House on the third Saturday of each month.