THERE has been some confusion in Holsworthy recently over the temporary closure of the town’s weekly Wednesday pannier market — with it officially re-opening yesterday (Wednesday, January 18).

On Wednesday, November 9, 2016 the Holsworthy Town Council held a ‘Market Liaison Committee Meeting’, which all market traders at the time were invited to attend.

Present at the meeting were four traders, who discussed with the town council the various proposals for the weekly Wednesday market. They discussed and agreed that there would be a temporary suspension of the market on December 28, 2016, January 4 and 11, 2017 — these dates were chosen because they are ‘generally the quietest period of the year for trading’.

Also discussed at the market liaison committee meeting was the current subsidising of the market rents by the council through charging all the market traders half rents during January and February — it was agreed that during the two weeks the market was open during January [18 and 25] that regular stall holders would pay half rent and casual stall holders full rent.

During the liaison committee, discussions were also held about ways in which the market could be improved.

Suggestions were made to include better information about the market’s regular traders on the town council’s dedicated website’s market page — as the previous information was out of date.

Any traders who want their up to date information displayed on the town council’s website are asked to contact market manager Paul Traxton on 01992 893996.

After the market liaison meeting, a follow up ‘Market Committee’ meeting of the council was held, to discuss and collate the information the town council had received from the market traders and to look into the current financial position of the market.

In light of this meeting the market did not take place on December 28, 2016 or on January 4 and 11, 2017. The town council also arranged with the district council that a ‘free parking day’ was held on Wednesday, December 21 — they are now in discussions with Devon County Council about the extent of the ‘Road Closure Order’ in place to see whether the market can be rearranged in order to allow some public parking in the square.

A spokesperson for Holsworthy Town Council said: “Although the town council is aware that some people were disappointed that the market was temporarily closed for a three week period, it is looking forward to the market re-opening this week after the short break and to continue its working with the traders to positively promote the market.

“The traders have all been asked to update and contribute further information regarding their products on the council’s dedicated website page and to bring any ideas they or the public may have to promote the market through its market liaison committee, through the market manager or directly to the town council.”

In order to engage more with the local traders of the weekly pannier market the town council have decided to open the market liaison committee meetings to traders on a more regular basis.

These are normally held every four months, at 2pm on a Wednesday. For more information about these meetings or to discuss whether there is a more suitable time for these meetings, market traders have been asked to contact either the market manager, Paul Traxton, the town council directly or mayor Jon Hutchings.

The town council spokesperson added: “We hope that the public will continue to support our traditional market.”