Improvements: Market manager John Walsh said the funding was 'fantastic'

Barking Market is to be rejuvenated through a £1.9million high-street grant.

London Mayor Boris Johnson has vowed to inject the cash to improve the market in East Street, open a “healthy living” pavilion and help to get the Molten arts festival off the ground this year.

He said: “London is the motor of the UK economy and prosperous local high streets are the collective beating heart.

“2012 is set to be a great year in the capital and I am in no doubt that London will emerge strongly from the economic downturn.”

Barking Market manager John Walsh, 51, said: “We’ve run the market for about 10 years but there has been a market in Barking for hundreds of years. It’s fantastic.”

A total of £75million was pledged yesterday to improve high streets in the capital.

City Hall said the regeneration grant would be used to support a new, temporary health pavilion set to become a cultural hub and put on the annual Molten festival, which was staged at the end of last year.

Funding agreements are expected to be signed in April and the regeneration projects are to run until March 2014.