Wells Market has been selected to host this year's Young Traders Market South West Regional Final on Thursday 25 July.

Young traders from across the South West will gather in Wells to trade at a market organised by the National Market Traders Federation (NMTF).

This is a national event sponsored by NMTF and National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) to promote and support market operators of retail markets across England and offer trading opportunities and business support to young entrepreneurs.

Wells Market Place will be filled with stall holders aged 18 to 30 trying to stand out from the crowd in the hope to take their business to the national final in Stratford-upon-Avon at the end of August.

NMTF's CEO Joe Harrison said: "We have a great retail markets industry in the UK and many of the biggest names in the retail sector, from Marks & Spencer to, more recently, Matalan and The Range, started up from a market stall.

"But to make sure markets thrive in the years to come we have to encourage new blood, young entrepreneurs with fresh ideas, on to our markets,"

Cllr Nick Cottle, portfolio holder for neighbourhood services, said: ''We are so pleased that Wells has been selected to host this year's South West Region Finals. It's a great opportunity for young entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses.

''We are very proud of all our traders in Mendip and are excited that our young traders have the chance to complete against the best and be up for an award.

''The Mendip Markets are so important, not only to the local economy but for the communities we support and we are looking forward to welcoming the NMTF and NABMA to Wells to celebrate the market industry together.''

Mendip Markets have been supporting this young trader initiative by working with local schools and colleges, alongside offering practical experience of market trading for young traders during the "Love your Local Market" fortnight, as well as hosting this event for the first time.

The South West Regional Final is a one-off market on Thursday 25 July and will run from 9am to 3pm in Wells Market Place.

There will be around 25 to 35 stalls run by young traders from across the South West, along with artisan and food stalls ran by our regular traders promoting local produce.

Currently there are seven young traders from Mendip attending the South West Regional Final and if successful will go forward to the national final in Stratford-upon-Avon later this year.

Any young trader interested should visit www.nmtf.co.uk and click on the Young Traders Market panel.

There is no cost to the trader apart from their travel and accommodation expenses and the national winners will receive cash prizes.

Keep up with the Mendip Markets team on Twitter @mendip_markets and Instagram @mendip.markets and feel free to tag us in your posts and use the hashtag #MendipMarkets.

To find out more about Mendip's markets, visit www.mendip.gov.uk/markets.