TAVISTOCK?S popular food festival has hit a problem because of a row over the booking of the town?s pannier market.

Tavistock Business Association, which ran last summer?s festival, insists it booked the market earlier this year for next year?s event on July 30 and 31.

But the town council, which owns the pannier market, says the building has been booked by Tavistock Area Support Services for their annual charity fair.

Jeff Stackhouse, chairman of the food festival committee, said: ?I made what I believed was a booking for the pannier market and the town hall back in March, and paid a deposit of £185.

?I e-mailed the deputy town clerk on August 3rd, confirming our booking in the town hall and pannier market and she acknowledged that e-mail.

?If there was any confusion, surely they should have come back to us?

?It comes down to whether the town council want to have the food festival in the pannier market.

?The food festival was a huge success that benefited the town and the council. I don?t understand why there is any negativity about having it in the pannier market ? our first choice of venue would be the market but obviously, if there is going to be a problem we will have to sort out an alternative venue, which we don?t particularly want to do.?

Town clerk Roger Howard said: ?Whatever the food festival says, they have not booked the market, they have booked the town hall.

?It is unfortunate that Mr Stackhouse believes he booked both, but the booking form was for the town hall and the deposit he paid quite clearly was for the town hall.

?He was told on a number of occasions we don?t book the pannier market that far in advance and that it would have to be considered by the pannier market sub-committee.?

Town councillors at their meeting last week debated the issue.

Cllr Norma Woodcock said there had ?obviously been some misunderstandings? and ?points needed ironing out?.

She said the ?wonderful? food festival had raised the profile of Tavistock, had knock-on effects for traders in the town and had raised money for charity.

?I think we have to recognise that there are problems ? I do think we as a town council should get down and work with Tavistock Business Association to work them out ? let?s go forward,? she said.

Cllr Iain Andrews said he hoped the festival would develop and thrive and become a ?flagship event? for Tavistock.

He said it was important to focus on the positive issues surrounding the event, not negative ones.

?It needs a commitment to long-term planning to ensure it becomes a successful event in future years,? he said.

Cllr Mandy Govier said she ?fully endorsed? the food festival and was ?very saddened? at the present position.

But she said it was not for councillors to sort out booking misunderstandings.

?We have officers that negotiate on our behalf with the people who wish to hire our facilities ? we should be leaving it to them,? she said.

The council decided that the chairmen of the properties and finance committees, a council officer and the business association should meet to try and come to an arrangement for next year?s festival.

The pannier market sub-committee has already proposed the town hall, market perimeter road and Bedford Square could be used to accommodate the event.###############################################################################################################################