Wells Market has won a national award recognising its traders and the work carried out since the city council took over its management.

The market was named Small Market of the Year at the 2026 NABMA National Awards, with Mayor Cllr Denise Denis receiving the award on Tuesday, 29 September.

The recognition comes just over a year after responsibility for the weekly markets transferred from Somerset Council to Wells City Council in June 2025.

Since then, the city council has worked with traders and partners to manage the change and develop the markets, including introducing a monthly Sunday Market pilot.

Cllr Denis said: "It was a delight to receive this prestigious award on Tuesday on behalf of the Council. The award represents the significant work undertaken since the market transferred to the City Council, to ensure that the market continues to thrive and remains the beacon of markets in the local area."

The weekly markets in the Market Place bring together traders selling food, clothing, gifts and jewellery. The council said traders' experience and feedback had helped shape the markets throughout the transfer and their subsequent development.

The award recognises the market team's work during that period of change, alongside the range of traders and goods available to customers.

The council is also preparing an expanded Wells City Christmas Market for Saturday, 12 December, and Sunday, 13 December. It says this year's event will extend across the city centre and be its largest offering yet.

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The transfer of responsibility also brought the Market Charter back under local management. The city council said it would continue working with traders, the Chamber of Commerce and other partners to develop the markets.

It thanked the traders, customers and partners who had supported the transition and continued to contribute to the market's success.

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