A DESPERATE bid to save a hugely popular social facility for elderly people in Tavistock was this week launched in the town.

The committee of the Old Folk's Rest Room in Duke Street has just weeks left to come up with a solution, after being served notice to quit by the owners Hunstrete Estates. Hunstrete has leased the prime site to the town council for a peppercorn rent for more than 50 years.

During this week's town council meeting, rest room committee chairman Yvonne Meneer urged members to help.

Mrs Meneer, who has also contacted Hunstrete directly, had three suggestions:

l That investigations be made into applying for change of use for the council's retail unit in Court Gate, plus necessary alterations

l Rental of one of its larger retail facilities within the pannier market precinct

l To rent the existing rest room building on a month by month basis, to extend the time available to find a long term solution.

Mrs Meneer also requested the council help with storage of rest room fittings if necessary.

She said: 'The committee is confident of Tavistock Town Council's continued support in working to retain this valuable resource for our vulnerable residents' future.

'We do not wish to see the demise of this public resource after so many decades of on-going support by both the council and local benefactors.

Cllr Ted Sherrell said: 'The important thing is to try and buy a little bit of time — and option three would provide that opportunity.

'We are in uncertain times and I can't imagine, even if Hunstrete got permission to demolish the rest room, they will rush into building on the site in the short term.'

Cllr Sherrell proposed the council contact Hunstrete to see if the building could be rented monthly.

Cllr Mandy Govier said if the rest room closed on February 22, the centre of Tavistock would look 'like a town that is falling apart'.

'Kivells next door is empty and Woolworths opposite is empty — it will make the town look very sad indeed,' said Cllr Govier, who backed Cllr Sherrell's proposal, and suggested creation of a working group to take the matter forward as swiftly as possible.

Cllr Brian Trew said the council should also pursue other options.

He said Hunstrete might accept the principle of a monthly lease but charge a very high rental and the council needed 'a fall-back position'.

'The way the council finances are, we are on a knife-edge this year, we have no money to spare,' said Cllr Trew.

Cllr Anne Johnson said: 'We need to have lots of options open to us, we need lots of irons in the fire so there isn't a break in this facility.'

Town clerk Roger Howard said there were no other retail units available in the pannier market. Court Gate was Grade II Listed but the listing was not high enough to need permission from English Heritage to make alterations — change of use would be required from West Devon planners.

Cllr Debo Sellis said the rest room was 'an intrinsic part of the Tavistock way of life' and she wanted its committee to be assured the council would do all it could to help preserve such a valuable facility.

Cllr Jenny Metcalf said: 'I feel this is a very urgent situation and a special project group is a practical possibility — progress must be made.'

Cllr Philip Sanders supported Cllr Sherrell's proposal, though he felt Hunstrete was likely to put forward a 'prohibitive rental'.

He did not feel a special group was necessary and felt any urgent decisions could be made at an extraordinary meeting of the council.

The council agreed Cllr Sherrell's proposal, while other options, including the use of Court Gate, would be investigated. It would also provide storage facilities and manpower for any removals.

Hunstrete Estate's appeal against refusal of planning permission to demolish the rest room is currently with the planning inspectorate.