A CONTINENTAL atmosphere will fill Tavistock?s Bedford Square this weekend, when the town centre will be filled with stalls selling goods from five different European countries.

Following the success of the French market held this spring, the ?Paras Bristiel European Village?, comprising 23 stalls, will set up shop tomorrow (Friday), Saturday and Sunday.

Goods on offer will include spicy sausage and paella from Spain, cheese from Holland and France, chocolate and sweet specialities from Belgium and Provence, dried fruits from Greece and a selection of genuine leather goods from Italy.

Stallholders will be dressed in authentic market costumes and the market will be colourfully dressed with flags and accompanied by traditional village music.

Sebastien Bristiel of PBO Ltd, who has arranged for the stallholders to get together to come to Tavistock, said: ?Our European village is a free, colourful, enchanting and original entertainment ? come and enjoy the special cosmopolitan atmosphere.?

Eddie Carruthers, Tavistock?s market reeve, predicted a great weekend for Tavistock.

He said: ?Last time when we had the French market the town was packed. It was unfortunate for the pannier market that we had the fire on the Friday, but a lot of town traders have said how good business was.

?Anything that brings more people into this town has to be beneficial, and to have Bedford Square filled in this way looks great ? I think it?s going to be a good weekend.?

The continental market will be opened by the deputy mayor of Tavistock on Friday morning.

There will be an extra day?s trading for Tavistock Pannier Market, which will host a mixed market on the Sunday, providing Tavistock?s weekend shoppers with even more activity and choice.

In addition, Tavistock Town Hall will be the setting for the Dartmoor Bookfair on Sunday, when exhibitors from all over the region will be selling books, maps and prints.

The fair was recently selected as the UK?s top book fair in a national newspaper survey ? it will be open between 10.30am and 4pm.