Bolton Market has scooped an energy efficiency award in a national competition.

The market won the ‘Super Saver’ prize in the annual Love Energy Savings Awards, organised by Love Energy Savings, an energy tariff comparison website.

It beat competition from Sheffield’s Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Reading Buses and Spectrum Yarns.

The Super Saver category recognises companies with more than 250 employees who demonstrate a commitment to drastically reducing their energy usage.

The council has saved £17,000 on the market’s energy bills this year by changing all the lighting fixtures to new LEDs. Motion sensors have also been introduced to control the lights, which helps save on costs.

Other measures introduced include replacing old glass roof panels with polycarbonate units to reflect heat in the summer and winter, and solar panels fitted to two roof elevations.

Last year, Bolton Market also bagged the top spot in the ‘Innovative Saver’ award.

Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Cliff Morris, said: “It’s a fantastic achievement to win an award in this national competition for the second year in a row.

“I’d like to congratulate the team and traders for their hard work which keeps our energy costs as low as possible.”

Managing Director of Love Energy Savings, Phil Foster, added: “We were very proud to be able to recognise Bolton Market for a second time at this year’s Love Energy Savings Awards.

“Their ongoing efforts greatly impressed the judges, particularly their ongoing commitment to cutting inefficiencies wherever they find them, from huge refurbishments to small everyday changes.

“If there's any way the market can increase energy efficiency, it will find the problem and fix it! We look forward to seeing what they can do in the future, and hopefully we’ll see them enter into the Love Energy Savings Awards in 2017.”

Bolton Market has a growing reputation as the premier food market in the North, and is home to more than 250 traders following a £4.5 million refurbishment, which was completed in 2014.

The market has won a string of other awards including: 'Market Innovation of the Year’ in the National Association of British Market Authorities awards 2015; ‘Best Market Innovation’ in NABMA awards 2012; ‘5 a day Supporter of the Year’ for the Wellbeing scheme at the Re:fresh Awards 2011; ‘Best Food Market’ in the BBC Radio 4 Food and Farming Awards 2011, ‘Best Indoor Market’ in NABMA awards 2010, and ‘Tourism Retailer of the Year’ at the Manchester Tourism Awards 2009.

The indoor and outdoor market is open Tuesday and Thursday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm.