ALTONÕS Market Square is to become a Òcontinental piazza-styleÓ pedestrianised area next April.

The new arrangements will be trialled for six months subject to satisfactory public consultation, before the town council decides whether to proceed on a permanent basis.

The various establishments around Market Square will require licences to put out tables and chairs, and for issues of public safety, the Square will also need to be closed to traffic.

The town council acquired freehold ownership of the Market Square from East Hampshire District Council in 1998, along with the rights of the market.

Highway rights extend over much of the Square, and the county council is responsible for the maintenance of its surface. The rights of the town council over the use of the Square are therefore limited by the public right to the use of the highway.

The county council has agreed to the principle of an experimental road closure order, similar to that previously used for the market.

The hours of closure would provisionally be between 4 pm and 7 am during the week, and from 4 pm on Friday to 7 am on Sunday morning. The county is also prepared to grant a licence to the town council to place furniture on the highway, and the town council would then licence the individual establishments wishing to get involved.

The various licensed premises will need to ensure that their licences and insurance cover the outdoor area, and will also have to agree to work jointly to deal with litter and glass clearance.

To ensure successful promotion of the Square, all premises will be required to put tables out at the same time, and landlords will be required to take some responsibility for the behaviour and language of their customers.

Failure to do so would result in the immediate removal of the right to put tables out, but extra visible policing of the area in the early stages is planned to achieve the right atmosphere.

The county council has advised that it will take two to three months to put an experimental road closure in place. Licensees have agreed that it would be most effective to begin the trial in April, rather than during the autumn. This will also give the council more time for public consultation.

Town clerk Steve Parkinson held a meeting with the licensees on June 26, which produced some useful suggestions on how to proceed. A similar meeting was later held, for the occupants of premises adjacent to the Square, and Cross and Pillory Lane.

This meeting was attended by a large number of residents from Ladyplace Court, who objected strongly to the proposals. Five separate letters of objection have been received by the council, one of which was signed by 29 residents on Ladyplace Court.

At last ThursdayÕs go-aheadmeeting, Allan Chick said: ÒI have been involved with the future of the Market Square for many years. I was on the council when we regained the Square from EHDC, and I have led a drive by the promotion and marketing forum to get activity back into the Square.

ÒWhen we saw the original application for the extension of Ladyplace Court to overlook the Square, we supported it on the understanding that the people who took the flats had no say in future activities in the Square. I stand by this.

ÒThe Market Square is a dead hole in the town, and there is a great need to get it going again.Ó

Robyn Fitzer said: ÒI share some of the views mentioned in the objections from the Ladyplace Court residents, but the fact is that the Square was there first, as were the surrounding pubs and so on.

ÒWe might have to weigh the inconvenience of the few against the benefit of many.Ó

Dave Crocker said: ÒWe cannot simply do nothing with the Square. It is abused at the moment, there is drinking that goes on there anyway and the area is prone to skaters.

ÒTables will civilise the activity, will encourage more people to use it, and it will be better policed. We can but try, and I am fully in favour of the trial period.Ó