TAVISTOCK could be in the national spotlight if it wins a competition being run by a national magazine. That was the prediction, following last week?s news that the town had made the final shortlist in the Country Life quest to find England?s favourite market town. Jane MacLouglin, spokesperson for Country Life, said she had ?no doubt? that competitions of this kind reaped big rewards for the eventual winners. She said: ?Kingham, which won England?s Favourite Village, was absolutely inundated with every national newspaper last year, plus regional radio and TV coverage ? it?s done fantastically well since it won. ?For tourism, I think it really lifts a place ? it really does work ? and people take the opportunity to go to these places, some of which they might never had heard of before the competition.? Ms MacLoughlin said the response by the public to this year?s competition had been ?outstanding?. ?We?ve had a bigger response than we had last year for England?s Favourite Village. We looked for England?s Favourite County in 2002, which Devon won, and we?ve done England?s Favourite View, but we have been very impressed with the response we?ve had this year,? she said. During the next couple of months, the judges will be writing double page articles for Country Life about each of the towns in the regional final ? which in itself will provide Tavistock with invaluable advertising. She said it was going to be ?very tough? for the judges to whittle down the choices to come up with a regional winner ? and even more hard to pick the town which wins the overall title. ?It?s going to be very close as they all have their own benefits ? I feel sorry for the judges because they are really going to have to fight their own corner,? said Ms MacLouglin. Noel Edmonds, who lives in West Devon, is the South West regional judge. He hoped the competition would revive the profile of some of England?s greatest assets. He said: ?The image of market town life as it was depicted in All Creatures Great and Small has disappeared, but it needs to be promoted, to encourage a 21st century spirit of community and economy. ?A market town is about commerce, not artificial trading or tourism. It needs to be sustainable to survive. ?I will be doing my best to influence the panel to make sure the winner is from my area. But it is going to be very tough, because there is not a cat in hell?s chance that we will all agree.? David Scrivener, chairman of Tavistock Chamber of Trade, said he was ?overjoyed? that Tavistock had made the final shortlist in the competition. He said: ?It?s going to be great publicity for the town ? it?s a real feather in our cap.? Mr Scrivener urged everyone not to rest on their laurels: ?It?s a great accolade to get this far in the competition, but we need to encourage everyone to keep on making Tavistock the best place to be.? Town mayor Jenny Metcalf said Tavistock making the final shortlist in the competition was ?marvellous news?. ?It?s wonderful, particularly following the news that Dartmoor has been voted top holiday destination ? it?s a great tribute to the people who have worked hard to get us where we are,? she said.
