A DECISION to change the opening hours in Tavistock Pannier Market was met with concern during a meeting in the town last week. Members of the town's properties committee were told the market gates were traditionally always opened at 6.30am. But a decision to put the opening time back to 7.30am met opposition from some councillors. Cllr Mandy Govier, chairman of the council's pannier market sub committee, said: 'I understand we wish the market to be run more along shop opening hours, but I have concerns that some traders arrive early so they can park in the town and I feel they won't be able to do this with the change in hours. 'I just don't feel this has been handled in the most sympathetic way that it could have been.' Cllr Norma Woodcock said: 'This does seem quite a substantial change. I always shop early and I know jolly well you can't often get a space to park at 8.30am. 'I would like to know if we did a really good consultation about this.' Cllr Robin Pike said: 'My concern is with the packing up. A lot of people come into town between 3pm and 4pm — they are packing up too soon.' Town clerk Roger Howard said some traders were packing up as early as 2.30pm and it was thought the change in hours was the best way of encouraging stallholders to carry on trading until at least 4pm. He told the committee there were hundreds of traders working all different days — the change in hours had been discussed with members of the National Market Traders' Federation, which had no objection, and an 'operational decision' had been made by the management based on this. 'There's nobody coming in at 6.30am so why waste staff time when there's nobody there?' he said. Cllr Ted Sherrell suggested the best way forward was a compromise. 'What about opening up at 7am?' he said. 'Certainly the market needs to stay open a little longer — could we propose a period of time starting at seven to see how it works?' The committee agreed an amended time of 7am should be instigated — the decision was due to be ratified at the meeting of the full council on Tuesday night.