A STREET market “with a difference” is being proposed to help businesses in part of Bournemouth town centre.

The Daily Echo understands that the Bournemouth Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) has permission from the council to start developing its plans for a regular Lansdowne Market and Street Fair in the Holdenhurst Road area.

BID manager Steve Hughes said the proposal would be a “street market with a difference” and unlike other market events held in the town, such as the weekly market held in Boscombe Precinct in Christchurch Road.

However, he declined to reveal more information about the proposals until the official launch takes place later this week.

The Echo has been informed that the market will include live music, food and entertainment, although Mr Hughes said it would not be a traditional food market, and the BID anticipates the first event will be held in September this year.

An informal drop-in event for businesses in the area will take place at the Christopher Creek pub at 6pm today, where more details of the scheme will be revealed, alongside other BID plans for the area covering the next five years.

Bournemouth council recently revealed a £27 million investment in the Lansdowne, in a bid to make the area a ‘world class’ business district and create 4,500 jobs.

The decade-long scheme would see extensive pedestrianisation of the route between the Lansdowne and Bournemouth Railway Station roundabouts along Holdenhurst Road, with numerous vacant sites and surface car parks redeveloped as flats and offices.

The roundabout by the station would be filled in and landscaped to provide better access for passengers to the town centre.

There will be a focus on improving cycling and public transport facilities in the area.

So far the council has invested £3.5m into the project and has also received £8.5m from the central government Growth Deal Fund secured by the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership.

The borough is currently working on traffic modelling in the area and developing a parking scheme involving new multi-storey blocks.

Work on the first site is expected to begin next year.