BRIGHT marquees on Tavistock's Bedford Square will ensure year-round use and a stunning visual attraction for the town's centrepiece, it was decided this week.

Tavistock Town Council has agreed the £8,000 project to enhance the appearance and flexibility of Bedford Square.

The six moveable marquees, which will be 3metres by 3metres maximum, were the suggestion of market reeve Eddie Carruthers and deputy town clerk Rosie Kehoe to provide interest on the square as many weekends as possible in the year.

Mr Carruthers said: 'The trouble with Bedford Square is, even in the summer we cannot guarantee good weather, and if it starts raining traders have to pack up.

'There has to be cover for people to trade out there and at the same time it will make the square look visually attractive all year round.

'From a customer's point of view the square is the first thing they see when they come into the town and if things are going on there it looks far better than a blank, empty space.'

'The marquees can be used for other events as well as markets, for example, the garden festival and other functions.'

Town clerk Roger Howard told town councillors at the recent properties' committee that investigations regarding the marquees had proved very positive.

Col Howard said: 'They are weighted so they don't require us to dig holes in the square and they are small enough to move around.

'The reeve has been overwhelmed by the reaction of the traders — they are all dying to get out there on the square this summer.

'They all think the marquees are going to look very nice on the square and take away from the grey, openness of it.'

The marquees would also provide an income for the council. Mr Howard said with a rental of £15 per unit, per day, an income of £17,720 could be realised over a 12-month period, based on six units rented for four days a week.

Members were told the marquees could be joined together to create a large unit if necessary, providing an exhibition or concert space, and they could easily be used elsewhere in the town.

Chamber of commerce chairman Nigel Eadie said the marquees were 'an absolutely brilliant idea': 'It is very very forward thinking and it is exactly what the town square needs.

'Bedford Square is the vital epicentre of the town and we need, if we possibly can, to have something going on there seven days a week.'

He said that more activity on the square would be attractive to people coming into the town and add vibrancy to Tavistock.

'Hopefully, as a result, people will spend more time in Tavistock and spend more money in the shops. If the marquees are being managed by the pannier market it will be local traders using them and this will help the local economy.'

Mr Eadie said you only had to look at the success of the artists' market on the square during the music and arts festival to see how beneficial an all-year-round outdoor market would be.