TAVISTOCK traders have complained about the loss of business resulting from a double-booking of Bedford Square by the town council for a one-off community event and the regular farmers' market, last Saturday (June 24).
Town centre businesses were left angry that customers were unable to park because of traffic chaos in the town centre. They demanded to know why the West Devon Community Fair was held in the Pannier Market and in Bedford Square on the same day as the fortnightly farmers' market, causing market stallholders to move into the Guildhall car park, which became unavailable for parking.
John Follett of furniture shop Folletts of Tavistock said he failed to see why the town council had booked two events in Bedford Square last week, when on some weekends no events were held in the square.
Mr Follett said he had received telephone calls on Saturday from customers who said they couldn't park in Tavistock because the Guildhall car park was occupied by farmers' market stalls and other parking spaces in the rest of the town were occupied.
Keith Hall from Dartmoor Photographic was another businessman who said he was concerned about lost trade because of the traffic problems caused by the two events in the square.
'I just think somebody has made a mistake by having two events in Bedford Square at the same time,' said Mr Hall. 'It's hard enough as it is for people to park in Tavistock. Lots of our customers say they have trouble parking, so the car park should be kept for cars,' he added.
Tavistock resident Phil Waddle was one of those unable to park and do his shopping in Tavistock on Saturday morning, and described the traffic situation in the town as 'bedlam'. 'Cars were everywhere, people were double-parked, there was just no space available. I drove round Tavistock twice before giving up,' he said.
The West Devon Community Fair, which promoted ways of making life easier for older people in the borough, ran from 10am-3pm. The fair attracted more than 1,000 visitors, but this influx of people caused near gridlock in the centre of Tavistock, said some town centre businesses.
Other shops in the town centre reported a good trading day on Saturday. Noreen White, manager of the Home-made Cake Shop in Duke Street, said: 'We generally do well when the farmers' market is on, and we had a good day again on Saturday.'
Although the majority of activities took place inside the pannier market, two larger displays were held outside, including a Devon Fire and Rescue chip pan fire demonstration and a mobile community internet cafe, sited outside Tavistock Town Hall.
The Town Hall itself was also booked with the Tavistock Group of Artists setting up an exhibition.
Tavistock farmers' markets used to be held once a month in Bedford Square, but when organisers doubled the numbers of markets by moving to the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, the clash of dates with the West Devon Community Fair was noted.
Farmers' market chairman Gil Gorbutt said: 'It was an unfortunate double-booking. It had to be accommodated as it was absolutely crucial the farmers' market establishes its new dates, so an arrangement was made for us to go onto the car park.'
Town Council deputy clerk Rosie Kehoe said the council did not want to lose either of these important events and so both were accommodated in the centre of Tavistock. 'We are trying to bring people into the town, but it can be a double edged sword,' she said.
She said it was felt the three events — farmers' market, art show and the community fair — would draw more people into the town and Tavistock businesses would have seen a knock-on benefit.
Alison Stoneham, West Devon Borough Council media officer, said the council made a booking to hold the community fair in Bedford Square last year, and both the council and the farmers' market had paid their deposits when the date clash was identified.