A DOG training group which has used the market hall for 35 years has hit out at Okehampton Town Council?s proposal to turn the venue into a cinema. Okehampton and District Canine Society learned last week that it can only book the hall until March 2006, having previously booked one year in advance. Mary Wilson, chairman of the society, said: ?Okehampton and District Canine Society has been using the market hall for at least 35 years, serving the community. On Monday evenings we have four classes of obedience and two ringcraft giving people advice on training their dogs.? She said all the trainers give up their free time and also aim to help those attending to be responsible dog owners. ?On Monday evenings, the hall is packed with people and their dogs. We also have a junior handling class once a month for the young ones as we try to encourage them. Our approximate annual membership is 300. ?It is a market hall for the community to be able to use and we think it is quite disgraceful that the council has not had any consultation with the users.? Mrs Wilson said there was ?absolutely nowhere else? in the town that was big enough or had suitable facilities for dog training classes. She said: ?Many of the people who bring their dogs to classes are not just from Okehampton. We also have people who come all the way from Exeter, North Devon and Callington.? Mrs Wilson called on the public to support them and ensure the town did not lose this important venue, by signing petitions which were being made available in various places around the town. Town clerk Don Bent said following the production of the council?s performance plan, meetings had been held with all users of the market hall. ?The mayor has said he wants to chair a further meeting of all users of the hall to discuss this proposal, so I don?t accept the argument we have not consulted people. ?We have done a lot of research to try to find alternative accommodation for users and we will continue to do that, for the dog classes as well as the market traders.? The town council announced last week that a two or three screen modern cinema could be created on the site of the council-owned market hall, if there was public support for such a project. Students from Plymouth have been carrying out a survey asking the public for their views about the cinema and market. Results are now being collated and the council should be in a position to make the findings public by the middle of January. ?There are a lot of unknown factors in this. There is a lot to explore and I must stress, nothing has been signed,? said Mr Bent. A petition for those who wish the market to remain in the market hall has been started by traders and has already attracted more than 50 signatures. The auctioneers who hold monthly sales in the hall have also started their own petition. Trader Pam Powlesland said there had been a lot of support from visitors to the market. ?Lots of people are saying, yes, we would like a cinema, but we don?t want it here because we don?t want to lose the market. Some people have said they don?t want a cinema at all. ?Okehampton people are good people. I do like the town and I think the market here has the potential to be a very good one, but the council seems to just want to put obstacles in the way. ?It is going to affect a hell of a lot of livelihoods, but more than that, the market is for the community and for the benefit of the town.?
