A DRAMATIC drop in net income of Tavistock's historic Goose Fair has seen town councillors concerned over its future.

At the council's finance and general purposes meeting last Tuesday, members discussed figures from 2009 to 2013, which show a fall in income year on year.

Goose Fair Day, traditionally held on the second Wednesday in October, sees thousands of people descend on to Tavistock's Plymouth Road and the town centre, to shop for goods, and enjoy the fair ground rides.

But at the meeting fears were raised over the fact that income has reduced and expenditure has risen.

Cllr Philip Sanders said the council needed to look at what it was going to do in future years.

Cllr Sanders said:?'I'm not advocating this town stops Goose Fair, but what I am saying is we do need to look at it very carefully, as it's costing us a huge amount, and is an incredible amount of work for a very small amount of profit.

'We need to look very carefully at what we might do to try and preserve a tradition I wouldn't want to see disappear, but it has somewhat changed its face over the years.'

Town clerk Carl Hearn said part of the reason for the decrease in income was due to last year's park and ride scheme.

Mr Hearn said:?'The park and ride expenditure has increased significantly over that period and equally the park and ride income has decreased.

'Two years on the trot, income has decreased and expenditure increased and that may be partly a function of people adopting different arrangements for travel plans.

'In terms of organis-ational impact, Goose Fair is massive, it has a major impact both in the run up to, and around the period of, the fair.

'But economically it's hard to ascertain whether the loss in income is a sign of the times or a more significant change in terms of people flowing into the town.

'The costs have increased and the income has reduced over the last three years. We are not making a loss but it is a major event and it requires a large resource to deliver it well.'

But during the meeting, councillors also expressed concern over the effect the fair has on its local traders.

Cllr Sanders said: 'It's also costing the economy of the traders in the town a vast amount — most of them lose an entire day's trading. There are very few traders now who stay open on Goose Fair Day.

'I have to say that I have yet to meet a trader in this town, other than pubs, who actually support having Goose Fair, as most of them now just shut on the day, as it's not worth them trading.'

Cllr Mandy Ewings said the town and borough councils had a duty to the council tax payers to look at the event during these austere times.

'Both councils need to be making best value out of Goose Fair whilst being fair to the traders who support the town all year round, not just coming in for the day and disappearing the next.

'Many businesses shut for the day, but it is also a very poor week trading wise as people know the Bedford car park is closed for the week.

'The businesses which tend to do well during events in the Tavistock calendar like Goose Fair, Dickensian etc are the cafés, pubs and restaurants as everyone needs to rest, eat and drink.'

Nigel Eadie, chairman of Tavistock Chamber of Commerce, said although some traders did choose to close on the day, most stayed open with a positive outcome.

Mr Eadie said: 'Goose Fair is a 500-year-old tradition and it's not something that we want to dispense with.

'Some traders may view the prospect of the disruption of Goose Fair as having a negative effect, but thousands and thousands of people come to the town and enjoy the town.

'I think it's difficult to say that it has a negative effect on the town.

'Particular businesses that choose to not open, it is obviously their decision but overall it is absolutely undeniable that Goose Fair has a big positive effect on the town.'

Works superintendent Wayne Southall said: 'In 2014 there will be several operational and strategic meetings held between the town council, borough council and other key stakeholders to discuss the sustainability of the event, and especially the fair which occupies the Bedford Car Park and the Wharf Car Park from Sunday to Saturday.'

Mr Southall said the delivery of the Goose Fair event for the Wednesday was undertaken by Tavistock Town Council but the accountability and running of the fair in the Bedford and Wharf car park lay with the borough council, via a license agreement with showmen.

The works super-intendent said discussions would also be held with representatives of the business community, Chamber of Commerce and BID to identify ways that may benefit the business community going forward.