TO an impromptu rendition of ?We Shall not Be Moved,? accompanied by an accordion player, more than 100 people of all ages gathered outside the old folk? rest room in Tavistock to show their support for the fight to save the facility. Plans by owners Hunstrete Estates to demolish the rest room in Duke Street and replace it with a retail unit are being considered by West Devon Borough Council. The current lease, held by Tavistock Town Council, expires in 2009. Perhaps Megan Stone, aged 6, summed it up for many, when with the help of town crier Bob Rose she rang his bell and cried out, to big applause, ?Oyez, oyez, oyez. Let us respect our senior citizens!? Supporters of the rest room say it provides an important social facility for the elderly and is in an ideal position in the town for them to meet and enjoy low cost refreshments, toilet facilities and a place to leave their shopping. Friends Betty Hunting, 80, Pat Horsfield, 84, and Phyllis Harrap, 93, all from Lamerton, said they would be very upset if the rest room were to close. Phyllis said: ?It would be a dreadful thing for it to be closed. I would go so far to say that it might even stop us coming into Tavistock. We cannot shop for two and a half hours without a break, we need to sit down. This is the perfect place for us and no other alternative would be the same.? Geoffrey Cox, MP for West Devon and Torridge, was present to add his weight to the campaign. He told the Times: ?It?s part of what makes Tavistock Tavistock. It has been here for 54 years and it would be a huge shame if it had to be closed. What we need is for Tavistock Town Council and West Devon Borough Council to get together to see if they can find a solution and at least an alternative facility.? Janet Piper, chairman of the rest room management committee, said a petition by members had already raised more than a 1,000 signatures. This was handed to Mr Cox. She said: ?We must keep this in the public eye as much as possible. Although it is in the hands of Hunstrete Estates and the town council all we can do is let them know our strength of feeling.? Enid Gent, a member of the rest room committee who has been using the room for ten years, added: ?We use the rest room every morning and so many elderly people who live on their own would not come into town if they could not come here. ?This is the ideal place with the bus stop outside and on Mondays and Wednesdays elderly people come in, especially from Horrabridge and Milton Abbot, to do their shopping and use the rest room.? Among the supporters was Mike Andrews, whose West Devon Pensioners? Action Forum wants the rest room to continue to serve the pensioners as was originally intended in 1953. He said: ?It is disgusting that something like this, which is not just for the pensioners in Tavistock but for all those in West Devon, is under threat. It is what we call real ?care in the community? ? something that is sadly lacking these days.? A practical concern was expressed by Mrs Timmis, 79, of Tavistock who pointed out that the toilet facilities at the facility were much in demand by members, many of whom were not so mobile, especially on a Monday when the nearby market toilets were closed. Musician Barbara Pine, who provided accompaniment for the demonstration of support and who is a user and helper at the rest room, said: ?It is a vital place for so many elderly people in the town, quite unique. Where else can you have a cup of tea for 30p in Tavistock? ?And you can sit there as long as you like and there are no mobile phones going off to disturb you.? West Devon Borough Council has received 54 letters of objection to the two planning applications by Hunstrete Estates. The letters included two petitions, one with 40 signatures and the other with 119. Hunstrete Estates were unavailable for comment.
