A CITY market is to get a £17,000 makeover, after council leader Steve Galloway agreed to pump cash into revitalising trade.

An advertising campaign, stall covers and an intensive spring clean will all take place at Newgate Market, after City of York Council pledged to "play its part in providing support".

At a meeting of the leader's advisory panel, Coun Galloway declared the market, situated off Parliament Street and Shambles, was "part of York's heritage".

He said: "It would be a shame if it faded away, either because it was not providing the right goods for a modern York society or because of the lack of effective advertising of what is available."

Sanctioning the investment, Coun Galloway said the cash would "provide the traders with a platform to build their businesses on".

Speciality markets in Parliament Street are highly popular, while St Nicholas Fayre also attracts huge numbers of customers.

Coun Galloway said: "Many York city centre retailers have, over the last few months, fared better than their high street rivals in other parts of the country. The challenge for market traders is to emulate this success. This will require careful marketing, a clear image and good sensitivity to customer demands."

Meanwhile, councillors agreed to relocate an electricity sub-station in Silver Street, York, to make way for a proposal to build new public toilets.

The council's resources committee discussed a plan to move the substation to allow it to be underpinned and repaired.

A bid for funding to relocate the Parliament Street public toilets to the Silver Street premises has been submitted.

If successful, this would provide alternative male and female toilets, a baby changing room and a cleaner's store as plans to create a visitor

information centre in the existing toilet block in Parliament Street progress.

Councillors noted the report with a decision to be made later, when the results of the funding bid are known.

Updated: 09:50 Wednesday, December 21, 2005