TAVISTOCK’s Pannier Market is bouncing back after the financial meltdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, a new report reveals.

Market owners Tavistock Town Council have been told customers are returning in numbers as coronavirus restrictions are being lifted, more traders want to sell their goods there and they are opening the premises on Mondays for the first time in two years.

Footfall in the town is also being boosted by increasing numbers of visitors as West Devon — along with the rest of the UK — follows the Government’s footpath out of the crisis caused by the pandemic.

That has been helped by efforts to persuade coach drivers to visit Tavistock with their cargo of daytrippers, said the report.

But the report insists that a level of Covid-19 restrictions are being kept in place to keep visitors and traders safe. Market reeve Duane Carruthers made it clear that customers would be asked, instead of told under the now-lifted restrictions, to wear a face-mask and hand sanitising equipment would be still be in place.

In his report, Mr Carruthers said: ‘As we approach and move through the next stage of the Government roadmap of unlocking restrictions, the pannier market will remain in a reduced configuration to allow for a sensible level of social distancing to maintain customer confidence.

‘We plan to replace the current facemask posters with a gentler approach, along the lines of please consider wearing a face covering when entering the pannier market. Guidance will be monitored through any national trends emerging for markets through the National Association of British Markets Authority.’

But he added: ‘Footfall has continued to grow since the last report to members, with a heavy mix of locals and tourists. There’s a noticeable increase on Saturdays with the addition of Butchers’ Hall events and on farmers’ market Saturdays, and with the addition of the coaches starting to filter back, this has helped increase the footfall during the week.’

He said the will be opening on a Monday for the first time since 2019, July 26 to August 30. He said the Mondays daily let tables in the central reservation of the market are currently at around 90 per cent of the currently reduced occupancy, with an expectation that they will operate at close to 100 per cent.

He added there continued to be a good level of incoming market applications, with some new additions, and they were starting to see a return of previous ones mixed with those just starting out.

An initiative to persuade coach drivers to visit Tavistock was also working sell, said Mr Carruthers.

He said: ‘We continue to see a mini revival of the coach industry, reporting a total of 12 coaches visiting since June 2, these coaches totalled 403 passengers.’

He added: ‘There has been a clear increase in numbers since the loosening of restrictions on May 21, so we will continue to distribute our coach drivers’ packs, to try and entice more coaches to Tavistock, and with the numbers on the rise, it bodes well moving forward into the autumn.’