TAVISTOCK Pannier Market will no longer be made available for community use, after councillors last week ended a booking policy dating back decades. The Victorian market has traditionally been reserved for use by community organisations on the fifth Saturday in the month, which occurs five or six times a year. But with the increasing popularity of the market, council staff are beginning to face complaints when other events take precedence. In a report to the council, market reeve Eddie Carruthers said: ?It has become increasingly apparent that, while these events are worthy of support, they really should not take place in the pannier market. ?Over the last two years the market has evolved considerably and become far more commercial in its operation. ?We have attempted various ways of running the community events in conjunction with our larger traders, but it is patently unsatisfactory and the general public are becoming more and more unhappy about the loss of any Saturday market.? Cllr Norma Woodcock said the council should recognise that times had changed. She said: ?There are now more meeting places in Tavistock than there were for people to hire and I think we have got to the point where we need to say that those fifth Saturdays are not really the best use of the pannier market. ?I know this will possibly upset some people, but I think the time has come where we need to make a decision.? Cllr Betty Batchelor backed Cllr Woodcock. She said Tavistock was now the premier market town in the South West and the time had come to do a ?full job? in a commercial sense. Cllr Mandy Govier, chairman of the pannier market sub committee, said: ?I broached this subject a couple of years ago and it was knocked into touch, so I?m delighted to hear this.? Cllr Govier said there were already bookings for fifth Saturdays this year, so the new policy would have to apply from next year. ?I do sympathise with the community groups, but some of these traders are paying £15,000 to £20,000 a year in rent and we are taking away their day of trading,? she said. Cllr Peter Jones felt charity groups should have some sort of recompense for not being able to use the pannier market in future ? perhaps reduced rates in the town hall. Cllr Trew agreed, and said it was important these groups should be accommodated as far as possible. But Cllr Ted Sherrell was opposed to taking the fifth Saturdays out of community use altogether. He said: ?I know this market is a very valuable asset for this town; however, it is still a community building ? taxpayers have a total right to use it.? The council agreed that as of next year, the pannier market would no longer be made available to community groups on the fifth Saturday of any month ? but they would be offered the town hall if it was available, with the possibility of financial assistance from the council.