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THE new operator provisionally appointed to manage
the proposed multi-million pound fish market in Newlyn says the project
will go ahead with or without the South West's largest fishing fleet on
board.
Newlyn
Fishing Community Interest Company (NFCIC), set up by fisherman Nick
Howell, John Lambourn representing the community and auctioneer Robin
Turner, has been named the preferred operator for the market after the
Newlyn Pier and Harbour Commission (NPHC) put the management and
operational costs out to open tender.
Last week The Cornishman
revealed how W Stevenson and Sons who represent more than 50% of fish
sold in the market, rejected the plans declaring they would not enter
into business with any new operator should the market be built. They
claim the plans as they currently stand would not be financially viable.
The
NFCIC presented the tender panel with two, what they claim are
financially viable, scenarios; one with the Stevensons on board and one
without.
The
'winning' bid, the only one the panel considered after the Stevensons
and Sutton Harbour Holdings withdrew their bids, has now been
provisionally selected as the preferred business module for the market.
This was confirmed by an email from Cornwall Council.
However, the NPHC has
not yet met to formally approve the tender panel's recommendation or
issued a letter of intent to the bidders.
Cancelled
The
commissioners were due to meet last Saturday, April 25, to vote on it
but the monthly meeting was cancelled at the last minute and none of
the six commissioners were available or able to confirm the reason or
the date of the next meeting.
Talking
about the business module, one of the proposers, Nick Howell, says that
the cost of using the new market would only go up by 1%.
"The
Stevensons currently charge 4% of all the landings at the harbour and
can take £400,000 a year so you can understand why they are fighting,"
he said.
"But
most importantly a key point in the winning proposal stated that the
proposed charges for vessels landing and selling through the new market
would be exactly the same as the existing charges in Plymouth and Looe
fish markets (5%)."
Mr Howell maintains that he is confident that the commissioners will issue an official letter of intent.
He
added: "It has been confirmed verbally and we have had an email through
so it's official and I am confident that this will happen."
Business
partner John Lambourn says a Community Interest Company and the
regeneration of Newlyn is what the group is working for.
Thrive
He
added: "We want a future for Newlyn and that requires the main asset
including the harbour to thrive in the future. The future is not
dependant on Stevensons but on the people who want to go fishing."
Newlyn
harbour master Andrew Munson confirmed that a letter of intent from the
NPHC has not been issued but was not available for further comments.
W
Stevenson and Sons maintained their letter issued to the NPHC stating
the company's position on the proposed market still stands.
Partner Elizabeth Stevenson added: "Nobody has consulted us so to write a proposal that includes us is beyond me."
article copyright THE CORNISHMAN
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