a request from the organisers of Okehampton Farmers' Market for a six-month rent 'holiday' in a bid to attract new stallholders, has been turned down by the town council.

But market traders have received some help from the Eccliastical Trust, which is lowering the monthly fee it charges for setting up stalls outside St James' Chapel.

The market takes place on the third Saturday of each month outside the chapel on Fore Street.

Between ten and 20 food producers from across the area usually hold a stall. But there were just seven at the last market on Okehampton Carnival day.

Stallholders pay a fee of £2 to the council each market day for a pitch, a further £5 to the Ecclesiastical Trust and £10 to cover costs, including marketing and insurance.

Market organisers asked the council for a reduction in the fee or to waive it entirely for the next six months to try and attract new food producers. The move follows the loss of several key long standing stallholders.

The Ecclesiastical Trust has agreed to lower its monthly fee to £2 per stall to help assist the recruitment drive.

But when the request for a rent 'holiday' came before councillors at a policy meeting on Monday, councillors were split — there were three votes supporting the request, three opposing and one abstention. Committee chair Cllr Kay Bickley gave the deciding vote against the request, but said she sympathised with stallholders: 'The farmers' market gives something back to the town and attracts visitors so it is a valuable addition to the town.

'Yet I feel that we should try and support it in another way, and perhaps encourage them to review their marketing outgoings.'

Okehampton mayor Maureen McDonald supported the request: 'I went down to the market on the day of Okehampton Carnival, to have a look around and buy some sausages.

'Having spoken to a stallholder there, the intention of this request is to attract new stalls, selling small produce to the market. If a new stall selling goods such as eggs comes in, they have to sell an awful lot of produce to cover the £17 cost they currently pay.

'I would support the request in order to encourage these new businesses and stallholders to the town and to the market.'

But Cllr Tony Leech felt the current charge was more than reasonable: 'When we set the £2 fee, we made it as low as we felt was possible for a licensing fee.

'If these stallholders are paying out for marketing and not attracting the customers necessary to cover their costs, then I feel they need to review their marketing strategy.'

Market treasurer Jim White, who runs a stall for his business, Westcountry Woodland Gardens, was disappointed with the news.

'It's very good that the ecclesiastical trust have agreed a reduction in their fee. That will help us out greatly and we are grateful for their reduction.

'But I am not happy that the town council has flatly refused the request. We are trying to recruit new stallholders as we have lost several long standing producers.

'The general comment we get from producers we are trying to attract is that the ground rent is just a bit too expensive.

'The risk now is that we will lose more stalls. It would be a loss for customers in Okehampton were the market to go, but we are working hard to find ways to turn that around.

'As well as the rent fees we have to pay £500 annually for insurance, and other things such as advertising. It's quite a large outgoing, and we are currently eating into our limited savings. The market is not sustainable like this.

'If things carry on like this, we could well lose the market.'

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