Battle for live mart nearly won
Battle for live mart nearly won
By James Garner
NORWICH livestock market could still have a future as the campaign to keep the site open gathers momentum.
Nearly 200 farmers have expressed interest in the market reopening following the decision by Norfolk cattle farmer Peter Howell to challenge Norwich City Councils judgement that a livestock auction was no longer viable.
The council claimed it would cost up to £100,000 to upgrade the site to meet DEFRAs new standards for operating. Mr Howell, whose cattle business at Tower Farm, Bintry, trades over 800 animals/year, dismissed this figure as rubbish.
"The council is hiding behind the figures and is looking for excuses to close. We reckon it would cost £10,000-15,000 to get the market right."
He added that the mood at City Hall had since softened. "Morally, if not legally, the site belongs to local farmers and the council is now in a bit of a retreat."
A spokesman for the council said that submissions from stakeholders had been requested and would be considered during the next month, before a decision was taken on the markets future.
The three-man market committee, chaired by Mr Howell, hopes its business plan will persuade Councillors that a viable market could run in the region.
Only one-third of the site would be used for store and breeding cattle auctions every Monday for five months a year, coinciding with spring and autumn store sales, with fortnightly markets running for the rest of the year.
Mr Howell reckons that a few prime cattle would still pass through the store ring, with the option of buyers paying the slaughter premium and claiming it. But the days of primestock sales in the region were gone, with most finishers having secured outlets.
He estimated the market could be running within two weeks if councillors give it the go ahead.
There was more good news for livestock markets this week with confirmation from auctioneer Mitchells that its new venue at the Lakeland Agricultural Centre, Cockermouth, Cumbria, will open on May 24 with a special prize show and sale of store and breeding cattle.
Adam Day, Mitchells newly appointed livestock director, said this was "fantastic news" following last years events. Sales stopped at Cockermouths old site just before foot-and-mouth was reported in Essex at the end of February 2001, which threatened the new markets future.
"The development was put on hold until late summer to see how many stock would be left in the area." Building eventually started on the greenfield site in October.
Initially, the market will focus on store sales and will act as a collection centre, although its operator hopes to commence primestock sales on a Wednesday as soon as it can. *
Ken Pritchard, of auctioneer Brown &Co, says he has never sold a tractor with so few hours on the clock. This 2001 John Deere 6910 has clocked up just four hours of work and is available due to a change in farming policy. The tractor is part of an on-farm dispersal sale of arable farm machinery at Honington Grange, Honington, Grantham, Lincs, on May 8. Contact Brown &Co (01476-591991).