TAVISTOCK looks odds-on to get a town centre bookmakers, with national chain Done Bookmakers keen to move into Duke Street.

The former Llyods TSB bank building, which the bookmakers are looking to move into, has been vacant for a number of months.

Done Bookmakers are an expanding firm with around 300 shops nationwide.

The firm is based in Manchester but has recently begun expanding into the South West and other parts of the country.

Done Bookmakers, which was set up by brothers Fred and Peter Done, is now the largest independent betting chain in the country.

Steve Thompson, partner in Richmond-based Park Green Development confirmed there was a proposal for Done Bookmakers to take on the ground floor shop area of the building.

Planning permission would not be needed for the change of use of the ground floor shop from a bank to a betting office.

Last month, a previous application to install two new retail shop fronts on the mid-19th century building at 1 Duke Street was controversially rejected by the borough council?s planning committee.

Cllr Dick Eberlie, Conservative group leader on the borough, had urged the council to support the application to ensure Tavistock did not become a ?dead town? but stayed an ?alive, vibrant and prosperous? retail area.

Mr Thompson said the advantage of the new proposal was that a betting shop was not primarily concerned about its shop front appearance, which had been a stumbling block on the previous application for retail use.

?They are quite happy whether we have an altered shop front or not,? said Mr Thompson.

Mr Thompson said he would be presenting some revised plans for the Duke Street premises to planning officers on a consultation basis.

He said the developers had now abandoned the idea of introducing replacement doors and had decided to keep the central entrance intact.

Mr Thompson said the developers were still investigating the best use for the flats above the shop.

He said Done Bookmakers would not be moving into Tavistock until summer at the earliest.

?Everything has got to come out through the front because you can?t really work at the back of the property.

?We can?t have anyone in there until we have finished on the upper floor,? he said.

An application by Done Bookmakers for a betting licence was this week adjourned at Plymouth Magistrates Court until next month.