Touted as the best in the business by stallholders, the twice-monthly event moved from the Market Avenue car park 18 months ago to where it is now in East and North Streets.

The history of Chichester as a market city goes back to the Roman times when it was known as Noviomagus Reginorum, meaning new market.

Farmers' market co-ordinator Pip Frederick (51) has been running the market for Chichester district council for the past seven months.

"It is an ancient trade that is being kept alive," he said. "There are more than 400 around the country. They are all growing both in popularity and size.

"The Chichester market is renowned as one of the best and the busiest in the south of England.

"It always has been a market community and the same applies to Midhurst and Petworth, they are market towns – I am proud to be carrying on that tradition."

The market has an emphasis on making sure all produce is grown as locally and as healthily as possible, with restrictions put in place by the organisers.

Mr Frederick added: "This is a place where people can come where they know the person they are buying from grows the produce. With the meat, the stallholder could probably tell you the name of the animal it came from."

Just one measure of how far the market has grown since November 2006 is the fact that 12,000 more people walked through the streets on the same day a year later.

Owner of Slindon Bakery Andy Turner-Cross (53) has been going to markets in Chichester for more than 25 years.

He said: "What has happened in Chichester is all these little high street shops, the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker have gone, but we are now able to trade outside the big national chains on the street.
"I would never be able to afford to do that if I had a shop."
The market is so popular there is a long waiting list to join.

Producers within a 30-mile radius are given priority but if there is a trader who lives up to 50 miles away with a unique product, allowances are made.

To encourage local trade, animals also have to have lived 50 per cent of their lives within a 30-mile radius before they are sold on at the market.

And all processed food must contain at least 30 per cent of local ingredients.

Andrew Cordery owns Flint Acres Farm at Pulborough, where he rears his rare breed pigs. The 39-year-old is a regular at the market.

"Since it has gone into the centre, it has improved tremendously," he said. "We get the volume of people coming through the centre, it is as good as the best market for us.

"It is good for us because when we sell direct to the public we are obviously getting the full profit margin."

The market runs every first and third Friday of the month, from 9am until 2pm.

For more information, contact the Farmers' Market co-ordinator, Pip Frederick, on 01243 785166,
ext 4242.