I ATTENDED a meeting of the council last night with regards to changes to be made for the use of the Market Hall. It would seem that the ?deed is done?, the cinema is to go ahead, and we have lost our Market Hall. Okehampton is supposed to be a market town, first the cattle market went, now it seems the market is to follow. Apart from the market we are in danger of losing our public auction which is held in the hall every month. The auction is being allowed to operate in the Charter Hall at present but you might say at what cost. At a phenomenal cost, not only have the auction owners lost at least a third of the space, amounting to losing a third of the lots to see and of course a third of their income, but their rent has been increased and must now apparently by law include VAT, although they do not charge VAT as they are not VAT registered. Also discussed was the likelihood of the market traders being allowed to use the Charter Hall, this also received a resounding no. The councillors are apparently concerned that there is not enough use of the Charter Hall and here they are refusing to allow it to be used for this popular event. Some of the councillors appear to me to be very sensible and caring whilst others are so blinkered. I only wish I had been able to stand up and say my piece, but of course the public are only allowed five minutes before the meeting starts and are not allowed to participate during the meeting when these points are raised. I believe there is to be a public meeting on April 3. I hope your readers will attend this meeting and show that the councillors have made a very wrong decision on this matter and are losing us our heritage, we are essentially a market town now without a market. As regards the auction I hope that anyone who has a premises large enough to accommodate the auction will come forward and contact Steve Wreford as I can?t see his business continuing with such a large loss on his income. Come on, Okehampton, we need you. Beattie Symm 21 Moyses Meadow Okehampton FOR some time now the market traders have had serious concerns that Okehampton Town Council was determined to be rid of the market. Recent decisions have shown that these concerns were justified. May I bring the following to your readers? attention: In November 2005, the council was of the opinion that the Charter Hall was not a suitable venue for auctions or Okehampton Canine Club. In January 2006, the council changed its mind and agreed to allow the use of the Charter Hall for auctions. In view of this change, both Okehampton Canine Club and the market traders asked the council to allow them to use the Charter Hall. The market traders simply asked that they be allowed to use the market hall on any of their normal market days that had not been pre-booked for any other use, in other words when the Charter Hall was not being used. This request was considered at the council meeting of March 14. The council agreed to allow the canine club to hold their weekly evening meeting in the Charter Hall, but refused the market traders? request on the grounds that it was against the council?s ?preferred use? of the Charter Hall. If the council considers that auctions and the dog training club comply with its ?preferred use? but would rather see the Charter Hall unused, with subsequent loss of income, than allow its use by market traders, then it is difficult to draw any other conclusion than that the council is determined to be rid of the market. A survey commissioned by the town council indicated that residents wished to retain the market in the market hall. If the council cannot be persuaded to change its mind, we will lose the market. We need your support, please write to the town council, councillors or the Okehampton Times protesting at this completely unfair treatment of the market traders. Pam Powlesland