A NEW look Hatherleigh Market is expected to re-open on Monday following an inspection by a team of officials from DEFRA yesterday (Wednesday.)
The news has been welcomed by auctioneers, farmers and the Hatherleigh community who say the market is the key in helping the area return to some kind of normality after the foot and mouth crisis.
The Government announced that livestock markets could re-open from February 11 but Hatherleigh, like so many in the West Country, has had to wait on further information from DEFRA relating to standards and procedures for livestock markets and final inspections.
Auctioneers KVN Stockdale, who run Hatherleigh Market, have been busy doing general repairs, painting all the cattle and sheep pens, putting up signage everywhere and sorting out special clothing and washing procedures.
Two extra staff have been employed to disinfect all the vehicles that arrive at the market, and cattle and sheep will be auctioned on separate days.
Inspectors from DEFRA, vets and Trading Standards officials were at the site as the Okehampton Times went to press yesterday. Market staff were keeping their fingers crossed that the go-ahead would be given to start trading again.
Monday's market will take prime sheep and cull ewes, Tuesday will be as it is now with poultry and antiques, Thursday will be the cattle market and cull cows will be taken on Fridays.
Director of KVN Stockdale Greg Vick said he believed everything had been done to meet DEFRA's standards and he was looking forward to welcoming everyone back.
'We do not expect to be really busy because people do not have a lot of stock yet and the first two months of the year are quiet times anyway,' he said. 'But we will be able to take everything through the market except store sheep.'
Vice-chairman of Okehampton and Hatherleigh NFU and regular user of the market Philip Heard said the sooner the market was open the better so farmers could get trading again.
'It will mean the industry can have an open market
A NEW look Hatherleigh Market is expected to re-open on Monday following an inspection by a team of officials from DEFRA yesterday (Wednesday.)
The news has been welcomed by auctioneers, farmers and the Hatherleigh community who say the market is the key in helping the area return to some kind of normality after the foot and mouth crisis.
The Government announced that livestock markets could re-open from February 11 but Hatherleigh, like so many in the West Country, has had to wait on further information from DEFRA relating to standards and procedures for livestock markets and final inspections.
Auctioneers KVN Stockdale, who run Hatherleigh Market, have been busy doing general repairs, painting all the cattle and sheep pens, putting up signage everywhere and sorting out special clothing and washing procedures.
Two extra staff have been employed to disinfect all the vehicles that arrive at the market, and cattle and sheep will be auctioned on separate days.
Inspectors from DEFRA, vets and Trading Standards officials were at the site as the Okehampton Times went to press yesterday. Market staff were keeping their fingers crossed that the go-ahead would be given to start trading again.
Monday's market will take prime sheep and cull ewes, Tuesday will be as it is now with poultry and antiques, Thursday will be the cattle market and cull cows will be taken on Fridays.
Director of KVN Stockdale Greg Vick said he believed everything had been done to meet DEFRA's standards and he was looking forward to welcoming everyone back.
'We do not expect to be really busy because people do not have a lot of stock yet and the first two months of the year are quiet times anyway,' he said. 'But we will be able to take everything through the market except store sheep.'
Vice-chairman of Okehampton and Hatherleigh NFU and regular user of the market Philip Heard said the sooner the market was open the better so farmers could get trading again.
'It will mean the industry can have an open market where everybody can see what animals are worth — it's the start of things returning to normal,' he said.
Mr Heard, whose animals were killed as part of the contiguous cull, said there was still a lot of red tape piled on top of farmers — they would now have to register with the market as a buyer or seller instead of just turning up, but they were getting used to it.
'We are okay as long as the rules do not keep being changed but it will be another two years before we really get into the swing of selling again because we have had to start from scratch,' he said.
'Hatherleigh Market re-opening is not just about having an open market again but it is a focal point for the farming community where we all meet up and discuss good and bad times.'
The market is also essential to the economy of the town, which was always buzzing on market day before foot and mouth struck.
Owner of Entwistle's Greengrocers John Entwistle said a split market could lead to a minor boom in the town.
'The market will be trading on more days so it could be really good for the town but I think we will have to wait and see — anything is an improvement on what we have now.'
Farmers who want to register to trade at Hatherleigh Market should call 01837 810496.