ORGANISERS of the Westcountry Balloon Fiesta in Tavistock are hoping for the biggest event ever next year — which could also be free-entry for the first time.

Peter Harding, treasurer of the Westcountry Balloon Fiesta and Day at the Races, said the 2002 Fiesta would be the 10th event to be held in Tavistock.

Mr Harding said a series of high-profile publicity 'night glows' are planned in the South West in the week prior to the Fiesta — with the mass flights taking off from Tavistock over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

'This will in effect give Tavistock considerably more attention and pre-publicity than it receives at the moment, and there should be an even stronger economic and publicity spin-off to the town and the area,' said Mr Harding.

He said the organisers hoped this year's Fiesta would establish it as a 'truly regional' event, but the growth in its stature was dependent on it being free to the public, as with most similar events held in other parts of the country.

Mr Harding said: 'Most people who watch the balloons don't actually attend the Fiesta but all congregate on hillsides etc and have a totally free view.

'I know they thoroughly enjoy the event and we in no way begrudge that, but it does perhaps outline the difficulties of continuing to charge on site. If it were free-entry, they would probably be there.'

And Mr Harding said some 'very difficult decisions' would have to be made on the viability of continuing to hold such a large event in Tavistock if the committee had to continue to charge.

It has asked Tavistock Town Council to grant £2,000 to the Fiesta, with a further £2,000 being asked of West Devon Borough Council.

Cllr Pat Warne, at the recent properties meeting, proposed the council should agree the grant.

'They have spent a lot of time organising this, it's really good news for Tavistock and for the whole of the West Country.'

Cllr Warne said the event raised thousands of pounds for local charities — which could mean those organisations did not need to approach the town council for funds.

Cllr Ken Sanders said he had a 'slight qualm' about such a large figure but could support the proposal, given the boost to Tavistock by such an event.

But Cllr Warne's proposal fell.

Cllr Marjorie Corner said: 'It's an awfully good cause and certainly they do a lot of good work, but £2,000 is an amount of money that we contribute to almost nobody else — it's a very large sum for us.'

Cllr Betty Batchelor agreed, though she was happy the council would help in the event the Fiesta made a loss. She was also concerned some of the charities to benefit would be from outside the Tavistock area, which the town council would not normally support.

Mayor of Tavistock Cllr Norma Woodcock said the Fiesta was a 'wonderful' event and the town was 'very lucky' to host it, but she felt £2,000 a considerable sum of money.

'I don't want to be niggardly but I really feel these things should be looked at in a full context — it's a lot of money.'

The committee agreed Cllr Woodcock's proposal that the Fiesta be granted £1,000, which would be increased by up to a £1,000 if the event made a loss.

Steven Russell, countryside officer at West Devon Borough Council, said the authority has a limited amount of money available, depending on the criteria of the application.

The application from the Fiesta committee would be considered shortly — a decision is likely in about a month.