Stallholders hoping for last-minute reprieve for beloved Gold Coast markets

Hundreds of stallholders are holding onto hope that one of the Gold Coast's most popular markets could still be saved.

Permits allowing Burleigh's beloved Art and Craft Market to run on beaches from Coolangatta to Paradise Point expired on Monday, and the search is on to find a new operator.

The current operator said council changes to those permits made it unviable to continue, but stallholders are desperately hoping it can still be saved at the final hour.

"So many stallholders here, this is their main source of income," Lauren Beatson of Happily Ever After Cupcakes and Entertainment said.

"If this closes, then that puts so many of Gold Coast's small businesses at risk of closing permanently."

Amid the uncertainty, acting Gold Coast mayor Donna Gates said council is trying to revive the markets.

"I understand that officers are now working to try to find an operator, so hopefully we'll have news on that in the future," she said.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.