IT’S time to bid farewell to one of Holsworthy Market’s most well known stallholders as Dan ‘the fishman’ Garnett shuts up shop for the last time — but never fear, he will be attending other neighbouring markets in the future.

Dan has been serving customers on his popular fish stand for over 20 years but has decided now is the time for him to cut Holsworthy’s Wednesday market from his schedule.

Dan announced his plans to leave the market last week, he said: “It is with deep regret that due to a steady decline in business over the last few years in Holsworthy and the current temporary closure of the market that I have decided to stop selling at Holsworthy Pannier Market.

“My other six market venues are all booming. I will continue promoting and selling local fish across the region, with more events planned in 2017.”

Dan told the Post he wants to say ‘a big thank you’ to all the people of Holsworthy who have supported him over the years, but unfortunately he feels ‘the heart of Holsworthy’ was lost when the cattle market was moved out of the town.

He said: “In taking an overlook at the entire situation it is my view that the heart of the town was lost back when the cattle market was relocated. Since then there has been a footfall of people in the town, they need a reason to come to the market and having effectively split the town in two with separate markets has contributed to the loss of trade.”

Dan also said he puts the loss of trade down to the reduction of car parking space near the town square, adding: “Previously there was a car park behind the Co-op, back when it was still a Somerfield. This has been turned into housing meaning there isn’t a convenient car park that the public can nip back and forth from easily.

“I understand the council have had to make some tough decisions but it is a sad day for Holsworthy to see its market in such decline as it struggles to keep going.

“When I started selling Clovelly herrings directly from my boat to the public 24 years ago, Holsworthy was a happy bustling town but now, sadly, this is no longer the case. Where have the people gone?

“I have been actively involved with the town council, as the market stall holders liaison member, trying to keep the market square alive but I now believe, for me, it is no longer viable”.

Dan added: “I will still be selling and promoting fish six days a week. The nature of my fish business is evolving and expanding into more cooking events and food festivals across the county and I’m looking forward to seeing my loyal customers at these events.”

Mayor of Holsworthy, Cllr Jon Hutchings, said in response to Dan’s statement regarding the decline of the weekly pannier market: “During our last meeting on December 7, Dan told the council that he had no intentions of trading during the first two weeks of January, so if he had no plans to trade now then I don’t see how he can use the closure of the market as an excuse to leave!”

Cllr Hutchings explained that the reasoning behind the closure of the market was due to the continually low number of stall holders over the years trading during the winter months.

He said: “For us [town council] it isn’t viable to be paying to hold a market when we would only have, say, three stalls open. There is very little trade in January and it has always been the case. If we had opened people would be moaning and asking ‘why have you closed off the Square for only three stalls’ — we really can’t win!”

When asked if he thinks Dan ‘the fishman’ will be missed Cllr Hutchings said: “Yes, it is always sad to see a long time trader leave but if he isn’t selling fish that isn’t really the council’s fault.

“Dan is a great guy and I say good luck to the bloke but at the end of the day he has gone, move on, we will find someone else.”