Hull’s outdoor market will offer a Dutch dimension this week when student stallholders arrive from the Netherlands to sell their wares.

Around 180 visitors will arrive on board P&O Ferries on Friday morning laden with products which they have designed, made or purchased as part of their Young Enterprise course in The Hague.

They will sell at the outdoor market in Trinity Square before heading back to the Netherlands on Friday night – and the hope is that they will also spend some of their takings in the shops, restaurants and bars of Hull.

The visit is the idea of Martijn Borsje, a lecturer at The Hague University, who was inspired by the work experience which he undertook at Butlins, Skegness, in 1995.

Martijn contacted Lizann Lowson, Head of School of Business, Computing, Professional and Enterprise at Hull College, and further support came from Julie Buffey, organiser of the market, and from HullBID.

Martijn said: “As part of Young Enterprise the students started their own companies, buying and selling products. I wanted them to have experience of working overseas and I decided on the UK because the currency is different and because people speak English, which is a good language for business.

“I chose Hull because for us it is just around the corner. Half the students will be at the market in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. For the rest of the time they will explore the city.

“We have a market at The Hague University where our students sell their products and maybe in the future it will be possible for Hull College students to come to us.”

Lizann added: “We will be starting a new Level 3 Enterprise and Entrepreneurship course in September to encourage and develop Hull’s young entrepreneurs and we may be able to share ideas through that.

“Hull College has a strong partnership with HullBID and Trinity Open Market and this is a good example of how events can benefit a range of stakeholders.”

Kate Harding, the curriculum leader for business and professional courses at Hull College, said her students will get involved in various ways on the day.

She said: “We have been doing research on the market to help to raise its profile and we are also working with HullBID to look at ways of attracting more people into the city centre.

“Our students will be very interested to see how people respond to the market doing something different like this. They will also be happy to show the Dutch students around the sights of the city centre.”

Julie Buffey said the market, which runs on the first Friday of every month, will be open from 10am until 3.30pm with stalls in Trinity Square, Trinity House Lane, Whitefriargate and inside Holy Trinity Church.

She added: “We will have our usual stalls but there will be new business as well and we have advised some of the bars in the area to be prepared to welcome new customers.”

Kathryn Shillito, HullBID City Centre Manager, said: “We already help the market by erecting and taking down the stalls and for this one we will also be helping to promote the event.

“We know the Old Town is not as busy as it used to be. The idea of the market in the first place was to operate as an anchor attraction. It draws footfall into the area and an event like this will help.

“The visit will also benefit city centre businesses by bringing in 180 people on P&O Ferries who will be spending the entire day in Hull, which is something we are always trying to encourage the ferry passengers to do.”