AN outdated government Act could herald the end of Alton as a market town.

The Town Police Clauses Act 1847 has been cited by Hampshire County Council, along with the 1980 Highways Act, as the main reason for its current opposition to a proposal to relocate AltonÕs ailing Tuesday market to the High Street - a move felt imperative to its future survival.

Described by some as a Òtotally inappropriate dinosaur lawÓ, the Police Act is viewed as Òa spoke in the wheel of progressÓ which has so angered Alton Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it has taken the almost unprecedented step of publicly slating the county council for its apparent intransigence towards the move.

In a letter to local county councillor Dr Tony Ludlow, the Chamber has pointed out that, in its opinion, the county could find itself in Òthe unenviable position of preventing the proposed change and thus being the cause of ending AltonÕs ancient market traditionÓ.

While the county has been looked upon as the lead partner in revitalising market towns, this experience would seem, says the Chamber, to display Òan obstructive and careless attitude instead of a Ôcan doÕ cultureÓ which it feels can only be achieved through better dialogue with all parties involved.

By contrast, Alton Town Council and East Hampshire District Council had demonstrated their commitment to the revitalisation process by attempting to save the market and by their financial commitment to Alton Initiatives Management (AIM) Ltd, the appointed vehicle for leading the process.

The row has blown up over a temporary street closure request needed to facilitate a High Street market. This has been given the nod by East Hampshire District Council, which ultimately releases the licence, but has yet to be approved by the county officers.

The county, it seems, has two areas of concern. According to a spokesperson, the first relates to the disruption any road closure would cause to public transport - bus routes would have to be altered and passengers informed of the changes.

The second is that officers are concerned that they might be exceeding their powers by over-riding long standing policy which prohibits trading on public highway.

As such they have called a meeting on October 7 to determine if there is a need to review these policies - but it could be too late for Alton.

The deadline for a move from the current Market Square location has been set at the end of September, to allow for the market to become established in its new centralised spot before winter sets in.

Determined that the initiative should not be lost, Dr Ludlow is trying to force the debate along. With Odiham and New Milton also pressing for High Street markets, HCC, he said, was looking into how other councils had been able to overcome these policy issues and remain within the law.

He believes that there are clauses in the Police Act which are open to interpretation and should be debated.

In addition, the county officers appear, he feels, to be under a misunderstanding that the High Street is still the main road through Alton when in fact it is Draymans Way.

Dr Ludlow believes that closure of the stretch of High Street between the entrance to Lady Place car park, opposite Somerfield, and the junction with Turk Street would cause few problems. There is an alternative bus stop in Draymans Way, some 100 metres from the High Street, and temporary parking has been found for taxis.

According to the Chamber, both the bus and taxi companies have been consulted and are supportive of the proposed market move, which is planned on a six-month trial basis - a move which is said to be supported by local businesses and existing market traders.