FARMERS' market organisers in Tavistock are celebrating after the town council performed a U-turn on their charging policy for the event.

The council last year agreed stallholders should be charged the same as traders in the pannier market — a toll of between £6 and £7.20.

But now members have agreed to rescind the recommendation.

Gill Gorbutt, chairman of Tavistock Farmers' Market Association, said: 'I am delighted and pleased to see the town council is going to be supportive of this excellent new facility.

'We do need to support farmers, particularly at this time, and hopefully the event will become a regular attraction for Tavistock in the future.'

The rescission motion was proposed by Cllr Ken Saunders at last week's full council meeting.

He said: 'In the first instance this council is not the owner of the square, it's a public highway and on that basis I don't think we have any legal power to charge a fee.

'Secondly, we charge pannier market traders on the basis we provide a roof over their heads, heating, lights, tables and cleaning up afterwards. We will be providing none of these facilities (in the square) whatsoever.'

Cllr Saunders said the chamber of commerce, which wished to promote the regular event, was also against charging tolls to the farmers' market.

He said Tavistock FMA had to charge a rental of £25 to stallholders to break even — to have to pay an additional toll to the council would put 'severe pressures' on the event.

Cllr Caroline Keane said the farmers' market held on Bedford Square last summer was 'extremely successful'.

'This town needs to be seen to be supporting the market in every possible way,' she said.

Cllr David Stapleton said it was 'absurd' to put barriers in the way of people using Bedford Square.

Cllr Jenny Metcalf said farmers' markets were 'here to stay' and the council should support them.

But Cllr Pat Warne said the council had a duty to protect the pannier market traders.

'It's not our fault the group are charging £25 — the bottom line is this it is a commercial venture and we can't give away commercial opportunity,' she said.

And Cllr Ted Sherrell said ratepayers had a right to expect some income from the market — if nothing was charged, what would Goose Fair traders think when they came to book pitches in the town? he asked.

Cllr Robin Pike said stallholders would make more profit if they made use of the pannier market facilities instead.

Members agreed by seven votes to five to rescind the charging policy.

The farmers' markets in Bedford Square will be held on the fourth Saturday of every month, starting on July 28. The FMA is currently looking to recruit an administrator and two stalls co-ordinators to organise the event.