TAVISTOCK Pannier Market will not be open for custom during the Diamond Jubilee holiday next month, following a decision made at last week's town council meeting.

Town clerk Carl Hearn told members that the majority of traders were opposed to opening their stalls on Tuesday, June 5.

He said: 'The feeling of the traders was very much that they didn't feel it would be viable to trade.'

Mr Hearn said the chamber of commerce believed that while the town's chainstores would probably trade as usual, most of the independent retailers would be taking a holiday.

'I would say the evidence shows that this last bank holiday was very quiet, Easter was quiet, the traders feel it's not viable, so it would seem appropriate the market is closed,' he said.

Mr Hearn said traders on the perimeter of the market hall itself could operate during the holiday if they wished, provided they bore the cost of someone coming in to open and close the market gates at the beginning and end of the day.

Cllr Brian Trew said: 'I took the trouble to go to the pannier market on the last holiday — none of the shops outside the market were open, even the cafés weren't, and when you walked around town, it was dead.'

Cllr Trew said the council had promised to review bank holiday opening after a period of time, based on footfall during these times, and it was important to let traders know it was taking account of what was happening.