MAYOR Nick Bye has approved talks on a 125-year-lease for an 'iconic' building in Brixham into a licensed restaurant despite protests from residents.

At a Cabinet meeting in which the idea was supported by all his colleagues, Mr Bye granted authority to discussions to agree terms the lease of the Old Market House on the harbourside to Nirvana Properties Ltd for a one-off sum of £180,000 and a rent of £10,000 a year.

Brixham councillors who opposed the plan are not giving up the fight and are planning to lodge a 'call-in' which would require the council's scrutiny board to look at the decision and make a recommendation to Mr Bye, who would then have to consider it again.

Brixham councillor Mike Morey, who is organising the 'call-in' after Mr Bye's support, said all five Brixham councillors backed the call-in. He said he had been concerned at the voting procedure and lack of consultation.

He said: "I believe it was a done deal from the start and this has totally betrayed the whole town of Brixham.

"They have dismissed the views of the residents."

Earlier in the meeting the councillors, town council, community partnership, and a businessman spoke out at the meeting against the idea of a lease and urged Mr Bye to hand the building back to the town.

Mr Morey, who is not a member if the Cabinet, claimed the community had not been given the opportunity to put forward its ideas for the site or the option to take it over.

He said deeds relating to the gift of the property to the town had been lost in the 1968 council reorganisation.

"A 125-year-lease is a freehold," he said. "It is the sale of the century, a sale on the cheap.

Town council chairman Martyn Hodge, who is also a Bay councillor, said it was hard to accept the money coming in represented the true value of an 'iconic' building.

"There is a strong feeling in Brixham that the building should be handed back," he said.

Dave Hodgetts, of the Brixham community partnership, said: "We are bewildered by the need for a 125-year-lease. It can only be to make it easier for them to sell it on in the future."

Coffee shop proprietor John Ingram said the rent did not reflect the true value of a harbourside venue.

All Cabinet members supported the idea and regeneration Councillor Chris Lewis said the building had become an eyesore and leasing it out would mean it would be renovated.

"If we hand it back to Brixham who will pay for the repairs?" he asked.

Councillor Neil Bent said: "This developer has confidence in the economy of Brixham if they are prepared to invest this amount on money in the town.

"It is the best way forward for Brixham."

However, all Brixham councillors, none of them Cabinet members, spoke against the lease talks.

Councillor Andrew Baldrey, in his maiden speech five days after being voted in at a by-election, said: "I fear it could become a place of cheap alcohol and bad behaviour and that would not benefit Brixham one iota."

Councillor Terry Manning said he disagreed with the idea but wanted to make sure any money would go into the harbour account to benefit the town.

Councillor Vic Ellery said there had been no option for the town council to consider.

"It is a frightening thought to lose an iconic building that means so much to the people of Brixham," he said. "It will tear apart the people."

Mr Bye, agreeing to the lease talks, said his decision would give Nirvana the confidence to invest and get the money needed.

"I would pause to think again if there was a choice for this building but I have not heard of that," he said.

"What we have here is some chance of realistic investment."

He said he was happy to support money going into the harbour account and would recommend that to full council which had the final decision.

He said the town and borough councils needed to get together to discuss issues.

"I think there some misunderstanding and I think we need to face up to some of the big issues," he said.