This year’s Douglas Christmas market will be held in the former Shoprite store in Chester Street.

Douglas town centre manager Oliver Cheshire confirmed the move will prevent a repeat of events last year where the market had to be cancelled because of bad weather.

Plans for the Christmas market to be held in the former Shoprite store were revealed by our sister newspaper, the Isle of Man Examiner, in October.

The market will be housed in the store for two days on Saturday, December 8 and Sunday 9.

Mr Cheshire said: ’We are grateful to the Department of Infrastructure for their permission to use the building and for their co-operation in preparing the interior to serve as the venue for this year’s Christmas markets which will be open from 10am to 5pm on each day.’

’This means we won’t be subject to unpredictable December weather as we have been in the past when the markets were held outside along Strand Street.

’In 2016 the conditions were very poor and in 2017 we had to cancel the markets because of the weather.

’This year, though, shoppers will be able to shop in comfort and enjoy the markets which will have a Continental feel to them with a huge range of craft and produce stalls. There’ll be an opportunity to sample some hot food with a distinctly international flavour, too.’

The market will offer craft products, as well as food and drink items.

The market is being backed by the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture and its ’think local, buy local’ campaign.

The aim of the campaign is to alert people to the fact that for every £1 spent on locally produced food, the benefit to the economy is equal to £1.83.