A PACKED and often heated meeting of the Dartmoor Tourist Association this week demanded compensation from the Government for trade lost because of the foot and mouth outbreak.

A hundred and sixty people crowded into Tavistock's Parish Church Centre for an extraordinary meeting of the association — the biggest turnout ever for a meeting of the DTA.

The association members — hoteliers, publicans, bed and breakfast establishments, tourist attractions and many others — were told to take 'a positive message' to the outside world.

They were urged to 'invite a friend' for Easter, to show that Dartmoor is open for business.

But privately many members told the meeting that the moor is 'effectively closed' and that the Ministry of Agriculture has to find ways of lifting some of the restrictions.

The meeting was addressed by Caroline Webster, of South West Tourism, Jeff Haynes, of Dartmoor National Park, Stephen Gill, of West Devon Borough Council, and Adam Southwell, the acting chairman of the association.

Mr Southwell told the meeting that Dartmoor has to be a special case, because 'many of our members closed their doors to business on March 4'.

He said Devon County Council was carrying out an economic assessment of the loss of trade on Dartmoor.

Caroline Webster, South West Tourism's head of business development, said the eradication of the disease was their main concern, but she said: 'We recognise that businesses have to generate income in order to survive.'

She said: 'Instead of the £2-million or £3-million normally spent on tourism, we will need £10-million to £20-million.'

She said they were urging the Ministry of Agriculture to use risk assessment to decide which parts of Devon, including footpaths, could be re-opened.

'There is no reason why a footpath that does not go near livestock, or down to a beach, should not be re-opened.'

She said marketing was the key to a revival in trade, and £100,000 had already been set aside for an Easter publicity campaign. She also suggested that people should invite a friend or a family member to come and stay 'to change the perception of the area'.

Jeff Haynes, assistant National Park officer, said there had been a lot of misinformation, and said the National Park was open for business.

He said they were developing town walks, producing a new edition of their magazine Dartmoor Visitor, and were preparing to re-open the High Moorland Visitor Centre at Princetown at Easter, although others would remain closed.

Stephen Gill, head of planning and development with West Devon Borough Council, said they were hoping to extend the deadline for applications for rate relief to June.

He also said the area needed to have a relaunch and recovery plan in hand for when the emergency was over. He said: 'The foot and mouth outbreak has been disastrous for the tourism trade and disastrous for the local economy.'

Many members said there were mixed and confusing messages about whether Dartmoor was open or closed.

Jeff Haynes admitted that although they were saying people could drive along Dartmoor's roads, there was nothing legally to stop the public from walking or cycling on the tarmac.

But he added: 'Much of Dartmoor is open grazing land, and sheep walk across those roads. As a National Park Authority we are not prepared to encourage people to walk, cycle or ride in an infected area, even though the law said it is permitted.'

Many at the meeting then pointed out: 'That means we are closed.'

There were calls from the floor for a complete cull of all moorland animals, for a protest with-holding of taxes and rates and VAT, and for the Ministry of Agriculture to start thinking about tourism as well as farming.

But in the end the meeting voted overwhelmingly for the Tourist Association to fight for compensation, and to put pressure on MAFF for some restrictions to be lifted.

Mr Southwell said: 'We have to be positive. We have to spread the message that Dartmoor is open. We have to tell people that, or many people will be out of business by this time next year.'

He said he had already met Prime Minister Tony Blair, Conservative leader William Hague, Rural Task Force head Michael Meacher, and Tourism Minister Janet Anderson, and would be taking the meeting's feelings to the Prime Minister.