PROFITS from Dorchester’s Wednesday stall market has fallen by a third with the Sunday car boot sales showing an even bigger percentage drop.

Figures comparing the 21-22 financial year with 22-23 show a fall from an income for the Wednesday market from £64,253 to £42,914 with the car boot sales falling from the budget estimate of £21,000 to £12,295.

Both are operated by Wimborne-based Ensors on behalf of Dorset Council and Dorchester Town Council which each take a share of the proceeds.

A report to the joint markets panel says that it is difficult to work out exactly what has happened but speculates that the earlier financial year might have distorted the figures with a “post-pandemic boom” which has now settled down again to a more normal pattern.

Overall the total income from market activities in the town, which also includes the Cornhill daily street market and occassional 'special' markets, was down from a budgeted £166,379 to £130,382 – some of this due to a reduction in rental fees from the Cornhill market, which suffered badly during the pandemic period, and saw some of the rentals being written off.

The final net surplus from all market activities was £85,287 against a budgeted figure of £122,066.

From the final figure for 22/23 £11,066 will go into the Sunday car park reserve, much of which is donated to community organisations at the end of the year; with Dorset Council taking £48,244 as its share of overall market profits and Dorchester Town Council £25,978.