TAVISTOCK Pannier Market could be the setting for a future edition of the popular BBC programme Antiques Roadshow, after councillors gave the thumbs up to the idea last week. Council staff and the BBC have been in negotiations to bring the programme to Tavistock in May ? councillors at last week?s properties committee meeting gave a unanimous vote of approval to the scheme. Town mayor Cllr Jenny Metcalf said: ?I think it?s an extraordinarily exciting opportunity ? three quarters of an hour on prime-time BBC. That time is the one time of the day you don?t ring anybody up ? I think it?s absolutely marvellous.? Cllr Brian Trew said: ?I think it?s a thoroughly good thing, it?s an opportunity we need to capitalise on.? Cllr Trew said a substantial amount of the programme tended to feature aspects of the host area, apart from the antiques brought in for valuation. ?If we get our act together it will feature things in Tavistock ? if we don?t it will be something regional. ?It?s something that will be of benefit to market traders in the long term, and will massively benefit the town.? Cllr Trew said the council should encourage everyone to put on a good show, so as to portray Tavistock in its best light to a huge audience. Cllr Betty Batchelor said she could see the four days of filming, during which the pannier market would be closed to traders, was ?a bit controversial? as far as those traders were concerned. ?I want to make sure those traders are adequately covered,? said Cllr Batchelor. She added that the council could not afford to turn away the opportunity of national publicity. The committee agreed the pannier market should be made available to the BBC for filming the show. The town hall would also be used to feed film crews and part of the Guildhall car park would be made available for BBC vehicles. Marshalls will be employed by the programme makers for the duration of filming, which is expected to take place between May 9 and 12. The committee?s decision was due to be ratified by the full council on Tuesday night.
