AN eleventh-hour bid to rescue the Tavistock Flower Show which was cancelled a fortnight ago has failed — but the town council hopes the show can return to its pannier market home again next year.

Members decided to write to Tavistock Gardening Club expressing regret that a 'series of misunderstandings' led to the show being cancelled. But they hope to liaise with the gardening club to iron out any problems and ensure the show is held next summer, for what would be the 155th year.

Cllr Judith Williams at last week's meeting said it was right the council should contact the gardening club.

'I think this is a very sad end to this debacle,' she said.

Cllr Williams said she and other councillors had seen the enjoyment and pleasure the flower show gave to many people in the town every year. 'We hope we can resolve the problems and have a flower show which is even better next year,' she said.

Cllr Ted Sherrell said: 'The simple fact is we have to be honest with ourselves. The gardening club have been treated rather shabbily, and we have been seen to make a drama out of a crisis.'

Town mayor Cllr Ken Sanders said he had been disappointed he had to instigate all attempts to negotiate a settlement with the gardening club.

But he was pleased the club secretary, Tom Percival, had now said he would be prepared to sit down with the town council to discuss arrangements for future events.

Cllr David Stapleton felt the gardening club committee also bore a large part of the responsibility for the cancellation as they had been reluctant to communicate and negotiate with the council.

The flower show organisers had already written to members explaining the show had been cancelled because of the dispute over booking and charges.

The council approved the establishment of a pannier market working group to clarify market policies, including the question of what qualifies as a community event or other types of use of the market.

Tavistock Gardening Club chairman Geoffrey Willetts said the club's committee would have to wait to see what the town council's position would be for future shows.

'It is over for this year, we will see what happens and will have some dealings to see what we can do for next year,' he said.

Mr Willetts said he wanted to put the disappointment of cancellation behind him, and was hopeful things could now move forward and arrangements could be reached for the flower show to be held again next year.