DEVIZES town councillors have added their voice to the chorus of disapproval at the planned closure of the town's magistrates' court.

Coun Ray Taylor reminded councillors at last week's meeting of the town council that the Assize Courts in Northgate Street were built by public subscription because local business people thought Salisbury was too far to go for justice.

He said: "I move that we make a strong objection to any suggestion that justice is concentrated in Salisbury."

The council was reacting to a letter from the Wiltshire Magistrates' Courts Service saying Devizes courthouse is likely to close as soon as a new one can be built in Salisbury.

Then all business in Kennet district will be transferred 25 miles to Salisbury.

Coun Dick Breach said many local people who could not afford to make the journey would be fined for non-attending. He said the change was a retrograde step.

Coun Noel Woolrych said 17 years ago he had been part of an unsuccessful campaign to keep the Assize Courts open and all these years later the situation had not changed. Justice in Devizes was still under threat.

He said: "It is a day's journey to go to Salisbury and back by public transport."

Coun Ray Parsons said the problem had arisen because Devizes courthouse could not accommodate prisoners in custody because the facilities contravened the Human Rights Act. He said: "I think it is terrible to disrupt the whole area just to address the custody problem."

Coun Margaret Taylor said: "Kennet has been attached to Salisbury in a purely arbitrary way."