THE siting of a fast food outlet in Tavistock?s Guldhall car park was due to be determined at a town meeting as the Times went to press this week. A burger van had been successfully operating at night times from a pitch outside Court Gate until very recently, when the operation stopped to due family issues. Members of the town council?s properties committee last week heard an approach had been made to the town clerk by another operator, eager to fill the pitch. It would net the council somewhere in the region of £750 to 800 a year. Cllr Mandy Govier said the burger van had been situated on the pitch with the full support of the police, who had endorsed its licence. Cllr Govier said: ?There was never any trouble there, people had somewhere to go before they went home and because it was near the police station people behaved themselves. ?The van had CCTV, the person that ran it picked up all the litter and kept it clean. ?I know the police are disappointed it?s no longer there, it was a great benefit to the taxi drivers who could get a cup of tea late at night, the ambulance drivers used to get something to eat there, the police did ? I think it provided a community need.? Cllr Govier said with the advent of new licensing laws, the operation of such a business had to be vetted extremely thoroughly, which could only help the town council in considering a request by a new operator. Cllr David Best said: ?I have never seen any trouble round that van ? it?s an ideal location because it?s exposed. Any trouble would be very simple to deal with.? A decision on the siting of a new fast food business in the square was due to be taken by the full council on Tuesday night.
