ABERGAVENNY auctioneer Lyndon Trumper said that KALM's public meeting showed clear evidence of the strength of feeling of some people in the town.

He added, "The organisers must be congratulated and their support acknowledged, however what simply are they trying to achieve?

"I am aware that some local farmers and market users would prefer for the market to stay where it is. In many ways this would please so many, however I have yet to see how this can be achieved with any degree of success."

Mr Trumper admitted that the present facilities are well past their sell by date and added, "This is not the result of neglect and lack of maintenance as some critics would suggest, but due to the fact that agriculture and livestock farming and livestock marketing has moved on significantly in recent years.

"There are issues of animal welfare and hygiene as well as health and safety implications for staff and visitors alike. The site is increasingly congested with traffic overflowing into adjacent roads at busy times."

Mr Trumper admitted that Abergavenny Civic Society's report is an impressive document, and said:" yet it misses the point on so many issues.

"To renovate the existing premises to the desired standard would inevitably lead to a lengthy closure, during which time the farmers and buyers would find alternative markets/outlets and likely prove difficult to regain.

"There are further difficulties in the fundamental costings, income and potential usage.

"Councillor Giles Howard raises many excellent additional points in this regard in last week's Abergavenny Chronicle.

"A renovated market could provide updated facilities, but the site would be as restricted as previously, the access as limited, and the negative issues ignored by the campaigners, including noise and smells, out of place in the town centre environment, would not go away.

"Ask those nearest the present site what they think and don't forget what the people of Raglan felt about a new market on the outskirts of their village."

At last week's meeting KALM speakers argued that there has not been enough consultation. "I strongly disagree," Mr Trumper said.

"This debate has now entered its third decade, consultants reports, public meetings, surveys, have continued throughout.

"The campaigns have attempted to make ground on at least the last two county council elections, polls have been taken by various groups. The site has been put on the open market for sale on two occasions - not to mention various legal challenges.

"How many more opportunities do they require and how much more money will be added to the eventual bill? And after all this, what really are they trying to achieve?

"Abergavenny will still be a market town, the majority of visitors come for the covered and produce markets, very few venture down to the livestock market, numerous modern rules and regulations, bio-security and health implications do not actually encourage public access.

"It is clear that the main desire of many of the campaigners and their legal team is to prevent a new supermarket on the site, yet local polls and the 'silent majority' (Chronicle Postbag September 6) reveal that a supermarket is wanted on the site.

"Surely this will bring / keep people shopping in Abergavenny and be of greater economic benefit to the town and its businesses than ever a livestock market can?

"What the local livestock industry needs and deserves is a modern, convenient, welfare friendly market with a secure and certain future - and I believe that there is only one way that this can be achieved - by urgently forging ahead with the development of the new Livestock Market for Monmouthshire.

"Abergavenny too deserves some certainty and investment. Monmouth as a town has gone from strength to strength in recent years, particularly since the closure of the market and the advent of a quality foodstore - Abergavenny can undoubtedly do the same."

Mr Trumper compares the market site to Big Pit at Blaenavon and said that this heritage building has been a great success story in tourism terms by bringing vast numbers of visitors to the area.

He said, "But that is what it is now - a tourist attraction, not a viable productive coal mine. The two could never be reconciled, things move on and it is no different for livestock markets.

"On all sides of the debate we have one thing in common, we love our town - so let us move on and make it an even better place for all."