The Jamestown Market on the South Atlantic Island of St Helena has been given a major make-over.

It is hoped that, thanks to several new stall holders relocating there, the destination will soon re-emerge as a cultural hub for locals and visitors alike.

The new Market was officially opened by governor Lisa Phillips.

First erected in 1865, the market was an early example of prefabricated, cast iron technology and was designed to resist the termite attacks from which wooden buildings in the remote British outpost had previously suffered.

Director of tourism, Christopher Pickard, said of the redevelopment: “The Market has been an important focal-point for the island’s capital over the decades, and it’s fantastic to see it returned to something of its former grandeur.

“It’s already attracting a wide variety of stall holders that reflect the Island’s distinctive character and will add enormously to the overall visitor experience.”

The £255,000 refurbishment programme has seen the original structure stabilised and modernised.

The number of units has been increased, with an area of the ground floor converted for “occasional traders”.