I THINK that the town should use Goose Fair to its advantage.

Instead of having so many stalls come from out of the area and generally selling tat, would it not be possible for the market traders, (most of whom are not in the market on the Wednesday) and local independent business owners to have stalls along Plymouth Road?

Another suggestion is to only hold the fairground in the car park from Wednesday to Friday night. Finally another idea would be to move the Goose market into the town square to create more of an original historic atmosphere.

Thousands of people come to Tavistock just for Goose Fair every year. So, surely by doing this and making the event about the town and its local area, the people who visit will come back again outside of Goose Fair, creating more tourism and money to be spent in the town, benefiting the town and its traders.

I am sure that if asked Tavistock traders would much rather trade along Plymouth Road and make money rather that lose money opening a store, running the store and to have no one or very little custom come through the door.

If I could be bold and remind you that Goose Fair cannot be stopped as it has a Royal Charter, it should be a priority of the town council to make it as local and interesting as possible.

Back when I was a child (in the 1980s) I can remember a more varied and interesting market and the road crammed with more people than it has now. I believe that people are getting fed up with all the food stalls which is why they are staying away.

Louise Friend

Abbey Rise

Tavistock.