AN ERROR which threatened this year's Tavistock Flower Show caused show officials a harrowing few days during the past week — but this year's show will now go ahead as usual.

Geoff Willetts, chairman of Tavistock Gardening Club, said they had been told in a letter from the new market reeve that they could not have the whole of Tavistock Pannier Market for their show on August 12 and 13 — or for the previous day to set up.

Mr Willetts said: 'What they wanted to do was provide us with a dedicated area to run the flower show in tandem with the normal market — but that was just not feasible.'

The club would have sustained loss of income from refreshments and entry fees and there would not have been enough room.

There was no alternative venue they could move to and the brochures for the show had already been printed.

Mr Willetts said: 'Our show is still fairly strong whereas others in the area are closing down. This will be the 154th year of the show and we didn't feel it right that the town should do without it.'

The problem came to light when a club representative visited the market reeve's office.

A subsequent letter from the reeve to the club stated although the club held a letter and receipt stating that a deposit of £15 had been paid last November for August 10-13 inclusive, the events book showed only the Monday.

A Sunday market had subsequently been booked and the Tuesday market was planned to continue as usual.

The letter suggested a 'compromise' in allowing the club the 'dedicated area' for the show and preparation dates.

The letter stressed the loss of revenue from the markets — around £2,000 to £2,500 — and loss of revenue for those who participate in them if the show had the whole building.

The matter was finally resolved on Tuesday afternoon, after the show secretary sent the town council a letter with a photocopy of the receipt.

Mr Willetts said the club was happy the mix-up was resolved 'quite amicably'.

The issue was raised at Tuesday's town council meeting when town mayor Ken Sanders said the matter had been caused by confusion.

He re-iterated the council's intention that the market should be for community use as well as for markets.

Cllr Sanders later told the Times that the Sunday and Tuesday markets planned during the flower show booking had been cancelled, costing the council 'an arm and a leg'.

He hoped in future a group from both sides would be able to sit down and work together.

Cllr Sanders said current building work in the market area would create more space and he hoped things would change for the better in future.