Market traders may be uncertain of their future in Watford but right now, the indoor emporium is doing good business and not just in household goods, clothing and foodstuffs but in art as well.

Frances Kershaw has been living in Watford for the past ten years and set up Watford Art Market three years ago. Initially, the stalls were outside but now this local artists’ showcase has moved indoors and occupies a vast corner plot spanning three stalls and has its own Facebook page.

Among the exhibitors is sculptor Sophie McGrath who created a series of mod-rock hoodies and then took pictures of them in various places throughout the town for a project looking at youth alienation. At the other end of the spectrum is Bob Laybourn who has taken up painting in a big way since his retirement. Bob tells me he has already sold nine paintings and in the course of our conversation I bump his total up to ten. He says people often stop for a chat and children particularly like to count all the insects he has painted on one of his still-lifes.

Frances tells me more than 30 items have sold from a total of more than 142 pieces, which include sculpture, paintings and cards.

“We’ve had a lot of interest and it’s a good introduction for young and older artists to put their work out there in a non-imposing environment where there’s lots to look on at different levels”, says Frances. “