Wayland Van Hildyck-Smith, of Forde Park,?Newton Abbot, writes:

Newton Abbot  is an historic market town and has been for more than 800 years, playing a big part in the development of trade and commerce over the centuries.

To think of moving it out of Newton to such as Ashburton, which is a one-horse town in comparison, is frankly absurd.

Do you realise that if this is done, Newton Abbot can no longer hold the prestigious title of historic market town and  will become just another little backwater which will, like many others, stagnate and sink into oblivion.?

Take a walk round the town on the livestock market day, at least six coaches from all over the country, even Scotland and Wales, call in on their  excursion trips  to see the market, not to mention the farmers' wives whose only day out seems to be when they come into town with their friends and husbands.

They bring a lot of money to the town, both with shopping and  food consumption, and are not likely to call again if they are dropped off in Ashburton, where I doubt they could find much to do for an entire day.

There are many farmers who actually come from as far away as Abergavenny, parts of Warwickshire, Stafford and further north, as they like our cattle and sheep, which have a good reputation and prices are really quite high at the moment.

The farming community is certainly not confined to a few farms on the moors as  some reports seem to intimate, so does the council really want to throw all this away?

If they do, it will finish the town which they should be proud to keep with  its status title and, if anything, expand it further.

I know we are told its only a 'maybe' or an 'idea' at present, but it seems strange to me that plans have already been drawn up  for the redevelopment of the site if it isn't already a fait accompli.

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