A market which looked set to be controversially cancelled due to the Tour de France may now be able to go ahead.

Weekly Epping Market in High Street was due to be sacrificed on July 7 when the street is to be used for the end of a stage of the race, with up to 6,000 people expected to attend.

It was initially thought  thought there would be no other suitable site in the town for traders, but a meeting of the town council’s Tour de France Committee last night it was revealed the Cottis Lane car park may now be available as adequate parking should be available elsewhere.

A number of venues have offered one-off car parking on the day of the race, which would enable the Cottis Lane site to be used for the market.

Epping St John’s C of E School in Bury Lane and North Weald Airfield have been made available and farmers along the route are also expected to offer space.

Market traders will be consulted by Epping Town Council in the coming week on the potential change of venue.

Epping Forest District Council emergency planner, Peter Charman, said: “We believe we have found enough additional parking around the area so we can free up Cottis Lane so the market can go ahead.

“We do need to work on the details because there are logistical issues.”