Hastings City Growers Market will enjoyed longer trading hours on Saturdays after receiving the green light from Council.

Hastings District Council has approved an extension to the closure of Heretaunga St East, allowing the Growers Market to extend its opening hours to midday every Saturday morning.

The new hours will be a slightly later start time of 8am to 12pm.

The extension will mean an increase in the number of vendors able to sell their produce, with potential local growers having found the former opening hours of 7am until 10.30am too limited.

The Growers market launched in November and is modelled on the successful Whangarei Growers Market that has seen a huge increase in CBD foot traffic and retail spend in the town.

The new opening hours until midday operate from January 31.