RESIDENTS living near Bovey Tracey Town Hall fear that their houses and vehicles will turn black if a whisky distillery is allowed to go ahead in the building.

Malcolm Potbury told a town council meeting on Monday that in Scotland and America they had had serious problems with whisky fungus clinging to walls and cars and there were large lawsuits pending.

He said the fungus – baudoinia compniacensis – was caused by ethanol evaporating through the wood from the storage barrels.

The town council – which eventually intends moving to a proposed purpose built building in Station Road on the site of the former Old Thatched Inn, ravaged by fire more than seven years ago – has agreed to lease the town hall to businessmen Simon Crow and Greg Millar, directors of Dartmoor Whisky Distillery.

On Tuesday, Mr Crow agreed fungus was caused by whisky stored in the barrels but said it took a long time to form.

He made it clear that the barrels were not being stored at the town hall. In that building making whisky would be a sealed process straight into a container and then it would be taken away, barrelled and stored in a bonded warehouse.

Mr Crow said they would be hosting question and answer sessions in the town hall for residents soon.

‘Through that consultation about the distillery we will be able to address any queries and concerns the public may have,’ he said.

Mr Potbury said residents knew what the risks were, but they wanted to know if they would apply in this case.

‘As far as I know there is no other whisky distillery right in the middle of a residential area like this.

‘We are asking the town council and the Teignbridge Council Planning Department to check this out to see what it entails,’ said Mr Potbury, who intends calling a residents’ meeting.

On Wednesday the town council issued a statement saying: ‘The town clerk Mark Wells will look carefully into the concerns raised by parishioners.’