Malmesbury Town Council is attempting to heal the rift created in the town after its sudden closure of the Sunday market.

But although councillor Martin Snell called for unity at a meeting held last Thursday, the disagreement between members was apparent.

The council decided to the close the market on November 30 in a dramatic U-turn of a previous decision to continue the event indefinitely, taken at the end of the market's six week trial period .

Deputy Mayor Patrick Goldstone was angry at the way the decision to close the market was handled.

He said he had seen that a report on the market would be presented to the council on November 11 but did not know a vote would be held to decide its future.

Coun Goldstone said he could not make that meeting because he was at a funeral but said he could have made an effort if he had known what was at stake.

"I believe we were made to look cowardly and a laughing stock, he said. "If we do represent the town we should have listened to what the people of the town are saying and act accordingly.

"We have also allowed ourselves to be bullied by people who shout loudly but do little.

"I am disappointed by this. There was a moment after this when I considered my own position as a member of this council."

The town council's handling of the market was also questioned by Coun Glyn Davies in a letter to the council.

He reiterated his concerns at the meeting and said he thought everybody in the town should be consulted before any further decisions are made.

"I think we should get hard information, particularly about claims that businesses have been hit," he said.

Malmesbury has waited decades for the restart of the market after the last one closed 40 years ago.

The latest bid to bring back the ancient tradition lasted only three months after the town council was at the centre of heated rows over the market's impact on trade in High Street shops and parking congestion.

Mayor Charles Vernon was thrown out of ASM Outfitters on the High Street over the dispute and councillors were banned from Walker's Butchers as the feud became increasingly bitter.

Market operator Landmark Markets said on average at least 5,000 people had visited the market every week and the decision to close it caused a backlash from incensed shoppers, with the council receiving 57 letters of complaint.

The company has now relocated the weekly event to rival town Tetbury and has threatened to sue the council for loss of earnings between the market's closing date of November 30 and the date it says it was contracted to, December 28.

Mayor Charles Vernon refuted these claims.

He said he wanted to draw a line under the affair but that the idea of a market should not be dismissed.

He proposed to conduct an investigation with town clerk Edward Ferguson to find a possible solution to the dilemma.

Coun Vernon said: "I do feel that we should not allow the market to fall by the wayside.

"It is obvious that there is support from people in the town. It is obvious we have problems. I think the way to do it is to gather information."

The committee supported Coun Vernon's proposal to conduct an investigation, but councillors disagreed with his proposal to give it an open ended timescale.

They agreed that Coun Vernon should report back to the council in February.

Malmesbury Chamber of Commerce welcomed the council's decision.

Chairman Alan Woodward said: "I think it is a good idea. It would be ideal if we can get a market that benefits the town's people, traders and visitors."