OKEHAMPTON market traders say they have been ?stabbed in the back? by Okehampton Town Council over a loss of trading days. Traders say they fear the future of the market, not just their livelihoods, is at stake. Their concern follows the council?s decision to veto the possibility of allowing them to trade in the Charter Hall on the third Saturday of each month while the town?s farmers? market occupies their regular base, the market hall. Last month, the traders moved into the Charter Hall for the day of the farmers? market, but the council says this is not a satisfactory long-term arrangement. Spatz Melzer, a member of the market traders? committee, who has been running a magnetic jewellery stall in Okehampton for three years, said traders were now ?up in arms? about the situation. Mr Melzer said: ?Saturdays is our big trading day. It is the most important day for market traders. We are all going to lose a lot of money. You can?t just go and turn up at another market on those Saturdays, because it is a prime day and so places are taken up at other markets. ?We all have bills and mortgages to pay. It is our living, and the council has just taken it away from us. ?I feel the town council have held our hand and taken us along for the last few months and then stabbed us in the back,? he said. ?We do not understand the economics of it. Pam Powlesland, the market manager, pays thousands of pounds in rent to the council each year, but the council have voted in favour of taking rent from a small farmers? market, which doesn?t even fill the hall, for one day a month.? He said traders were concerned that losing the general market on a Saturday could have a knock-on effect on other days, making it a ?very real possibility? that Okehampton could lose its market altogether. Mr Melzer said there was a growing fear l Continued on page 3
