Please allow the current market operator to continue running the Sunday Good Food Market in Totnes.
Why is this important?
The monthly award winning Sunday Good Food Market is under threat due to South Hams District Council hoodwinking the market operator into giving notice.
The current operator was thinking of retiring and a friend was willing to carry on running the market as it has been since 2010.
SHDC was approached and said the transfer wouldn't be a problem and that a new licence could be issued to the replacement operator but first the current operator would have to give notice of termination.
This he did and after receipt SHDC went back on its word by refusing to issue a new licence and stated that it was going out to tender for a new operator.
Had SHDC been straight with the current operator and said right from the beginning that in the event of him retiring it intended to put the market out to tender then the termination notice would not have been given and the market would have continued.
I have asked SHDC to allow the operator to withdraw his termination notice so that the market can continue. I have also asked for a meeting between the operator and a member of the Executive.
SHDC currently refuse to engage and there is a real danger the Sunday Good Food Market will cease after December.
