A TV documentary on Muharraq's Al Qaysariya Market has been filmed to underline its importance to Bahrain's national heritage.

It has been produced by the BC Space Channel in collaboration with Bahrain Television.

Plans for the demolition of a 200-year-old market have been pending for the past two years as councillors investigate whether 10 to 15 per cent of it can be saved.

The market has long been at the centre of a long-running tug-of-war between the Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs Ministry and Culture and Information Ministry.

Both prepared different designs for the market, with the former planning to completely bulldoze and rebuild it and the Information Ministry planning to renovate it.

Culture and Information archaeological and historical renovations consultant Dr Ala'a Al Habashi closely followed the filming of the documentary, which required the re-opening of some old shops inside the market.

"The footage revived past memories of Muharraq people who witnessed the full boom and prosperity of this market when they utterly relied on it for their sustenance and living," he said.

"It categorically confirmed the need to preserve this market, which is close to extinction, and the need to revive and preserve it in order to enable it to assume its key role once again as an active segment of local community in buying traditional items, with the aim of promoting conventional crafts which attract visitors and tourists."