Penistone is facing a dilemma. Does this county border town, known for droving and for being the highest market town in England, finally give up on its rural backwater status or does it staunchly defend it?

The playing field seems to hold the key, and there is little doubt that the 135th Penistone Show, due to take place here in a fortnight, will provide the locals with another opportunity to discuss the merits and otherwise. The irony, for this friendly market town with a population of under 9,000 and where everyone knows everyone, is that the one event that brings the whole community together every year could be in danger in the name of progress. In Penistone's case, progress appears to be Tesco coming to town.

It might not seem much to those who live in towns and cities that have become replicas of each other in recent decades, but to one of Yorkshire's smallest towns this is big news and some feel it could affect the town's character.

Liz Walker is the Press Officer for the show and lives two miles out of town. She believes both the town and the show are in limbo at present because of the dilemma.

"Penistone isn't a particularly rich town. We have a good school and lately we have had a lot of people moving in who commute to Wakefield, Leeds, Sheffield and Huddersfield, so it's a place that is developing residentially and has a lot
of needs.

"We have our old market site and it needs developing. It has needed it for a long time.

"Following foot and mouth in 2001, livestock markets took a dive and Penistone Livestock Market never recovered.

"The cattle went a while ago. We believe Tesco have bought the site, but nothing has been confirmed as yet.

"In the middle of the town next to the market site is a giant great green space which comprises three things – the bowling ground,
which belongs to the bowling club; the recreation ground with a skate park on it,
which is owned by the council; and a lump on the end which is owned by Penistone Agricultural Society that runs the show."

Country Week approached Tesco for comment, and clarification of its intentions regarding the site, but none was forthcoming by the time of going to press.

Anyone who has ever been to Penistone Show will know just how big an event this is. It takes up the whole of the recreation ground and more.

The part actually owned by the society is where the car parking takes place and Penistone is usually at gridlock for the day. Any loss of area for the show would impact greatly on its on-going success, and it has grown consistently over
the years.

"No-one knows what's going to happen and indecision is always bad for a town because it stops everything else from happening.

Liz claims: "It has created 'planning blight', as no-one is prepared to commit to anything further in the town until they know whether Tesco are building or not, and it has particularly impacted on the show because although the supermarket would only take up 0.7 of an acre, that still amounts to about one-fifth of the showground – and it is also the very important bit as it is the flattest part and is the bit nearest to the town.

"One of the propositions that was made during earlier negotiations was that we would receive some additional land further
over from where the present society land finishes.

"But that isn't owned by them. They would have to buy it."

But this doesn't mean Penistone is totally against any supermarket or progress.

Liz says: "I think we quite like being a rural backwater, but we like to go shopping. The combination of fuel prices as well as presently having to go to Huddersfield or Barnsley for a supermarket is quite arduous. It would be a lot easier if we had decent parking."

Penistone already has
a supermarket, the
Co-operative, but it isn't really suitable for today's weekly shopper, although Liz still holds it in great affection.

"If you want to do your big supermarket shop, it is difficult because you can't get parked easily to get your stuff into the car. The Co-op were offered the opportunity to come out where Tesco are intending to build, but they refused."

One of the rearguard actions being waged by some new councillors has been to redefine the playing field as a village green, taking advantage of legislation that would immediately put a stop to anyone being able to build, but Liz believes that one is a bit of a red herring as the same legislation would also stop the show from putting up fences and charging admission.

Whatever happens, Liz still believes the show will survive, but she's concerned about the consequences of not knowing what's going on.

"It's been a battle this year. It takes your eye off the ball but fortunately we have people who have been running the show for a long while and it's a pretty well-oiled machine.

"We've gone through greater health and safety regulations, foot and mouth restrictions again last year, the threat of blue tongue
and restrictions because of that earlier in the year.

"But we're still going
strong. We believe the show
is so bound up with the town that to take it away from here, if that was the consequence of a Tesco store, would be to lose its character.

"It has attained great status in the local calendar and we feel that to leave town would be to let Penistone down.

"We staunchly refuse to do that. I also think Penistone has to fight a rearguard action to avoid turning into a suburb, and to make sure that Penistone stays as Penistone.

"This has always been a droving town, with cattle being driven down the street until not too many years ago.

"Wouldn't it be fun if we still had it that way? Penistone Show is certainly not being driven out no matter what!"

Penistone Show takes place next Saturday, September 13.