Barking Market is set for a major facelift as part of almost £300,000 of investment from the Mayor of London.

New designed market gateways will be financed by Boris Johnson in a bid to draw custom and footfall from Barking station as part of the Mayor’s High Street Fund, it was announced yesterday.

A total of £291,250 has been set aside for a suite of projects in Barking, which will see a new layout, curved hanging lighting and new business consultants to work with the market management.

Cash will also be spent on turning the area around the Grade-II former Magistrates Court, in East Street, into a “hub” that will connect with Short Blue Place, home to the Technical Skills Academy, opposite.

Also proposed are weekend events to parade between the three sites showcasing the diverse culture of the area, with a programme of outdoor theatre and cinema.

Barking and Dagenham Council will match-fund the fit out of affordable workspace for eleven creative industries in the creative quarter.

The money was set aside as part of a £9million funding pot for the capital, with more than £285,000 still available in the second round of the High Street Fund for community-led projects.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “The imagination, enterprise and creativity of Londoners has shone through in the array of ideas that were put forward to the High Street Fund.

“London’s high streets are no longer about retail alone and I am thrilled to be supporting projects that seek to diversify and unlock opportunities in our most prized urban assets.”

For more information visit spacehive.com/initiatives/mayoroflondon.