DARTMOOR National Park Authority is on target for the fullest re-opening of the moor since the beginning of the foot and mouth crisis four months ago.

Struggling businesses are hoping tourists will return in their droves when the moor is re-opened on Saturday providing there are no new outbreaks of foot and mouth within or on the edge of the park.

Foot and mouth restrictions are still in place in the area around Dunnabridge Farm and Minehouse at Meldon, where there were outbreaks of the disease, and small areas on the north west boundary, but these do not affect the open moorland where the majority of people visit, a spokesman for the authority said this week.

After four bleak months which saw Dartmoor businesses lose up to 70 per cent of their trade, hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions are hoping to be able to salvage something from the remainder of the season.

Sixty per cent of the moor was re-opened by June 9 on the southern and eastern side but the northern part of the moor remained closed because it was the nearest to the epicentre of the disease.

The original target date for the full re-opening of the moor on July 1 was put back following an outbreak 'out of the blue' at North Tawton. This, coupled with an outbreak in the Brecon Beacons after access restrictions were lifted, made DNP members very cautious about re-opening 'too soon'.

Communications officer for the DNP, Mike Nendick, said providing there were no new outbreaks in the area as much of the moor that could be opened would be on Saturday.

'There are a few small areas that cannot be accessed because of foot and mouth restrictions but in the main these are places that people would not go anyway.

'All people have to remember is that red means closed and green means open. There will be plenty of warning signs, but a detailed map of where and where not to go will be available on our website on Friday or people can contact the High Moorland Visitors' Centre at Princetown.'

Chairman of Dartmoor Tourist Association Sally Baber said some businesses had been closed for the full duration of the foot and mouth crisis so it was vital the moor was opened as soon as possible.

'Up on the high moor businesses have been severely hit,' she said. 'We are not really going to be able to work out the full loss to businesses until the end of the autumn but at this stage most trade is down by 70 per cent.'

South West Tourism is launching a promotional campaign for Dartmoor in August and families will be able to take advantage of half-price train and bus travel on the Dartmoor Rover and Tamar Valley service. Dartmoor guided walks are also being offered for free during July.

Fred Penwill, of Cholwell Riding Stables, Mary Tavy, said there was only one reaction to the news that the rest of the moor was opening — 'good!'.

Mr Penwill added that the opening was 'not before time'. 'We have had so many ups and downs, but it has been left so late people will probably have made other arrangements. Only time will tell.'

The stables have quite a few school bookings for next week and Mr Penwill hopes their past customers will now return.

It has been much quieter at the Elephant's Nest Inn at Horndon since the southern part of the moor re-opened and Nick Hamer hoped that locals being able to use the northern sector again would mean business would pick-up.

However, Mr Hamer was also afraid it was too late to attract the tourists. 'The re-opening is very good news, but the two-week delay may have made it too late for the summer visitor trade. They may well have booked to go elsewhere by now.

'It would have been much better if it had been opened two weeks ago,' he said.

At Lydford House Hotel and riding stables Julie Searle was 'delighted' at the long-awaited opening.

'Our bookings are very low for the summer — only 28 per cent, which is lower than the normal winter bookings. What we need now is some fine weather to help trade. It seems so long since things were normal.'

Mrs Searle added that the horses were 'itching to go' and would be excited to see the moor again. 'We hope that with the promised publicity the visitors will be back,' she said.

The website for Dartmoor National Park is http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk">www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk and the telephone number of the High Moorland Visitors' Centre at Princetown is 01822 890414.