TWO villages are being designated as market towns - even though neither has a stall in sight.
Marsden and Slaithwaite have been granted the status in the first stage of a drive to breathe new life back into small communities.
They are among seven Yorkshire places where plans will be drawn up for economic revival.
Experts will help local people to study problems and come up with proposals to stop a decline which has been going on for many years in some areas.
A blueprint will be produced around which future spending can be planned.
The announcement that Marsden and Slaithwaite have landed a place in the renaissance market towns programme came from Yorkshire Forward, the region's regeneration agency.
Neither has a market - but Yorkshire Forward says it's not essential to be included in the scheme.
It is hoped the masterplan which is produced will become a tool for winning grants.
Andy Tordoff, the agency's head of rural renaissance and tourism, said: "One of Yorkshire Forward's guiding principles is to support the renaissance of all our towns and cities.
"We want market towns to flourish alongside bigger settlements and in support of the network of villages that depend upon them."
The programme was launched last year, aimed at communities with populations of 5,000 to 20,000.
Mr Tordoff said early results from towns like Todmorden, Skipton and Pickering had been inspiring, generating new levels of interest and enthusiasm from the whole of the local community.
He explained: "The first critical step is to agree the vision for the town, and that's what the renaissance market towns programme is all about - putting in place the skills and support to enable those communities to take a long hard look at themselves and their future and plan to achieve their aspirations."
