It is well known the authority has been approached by all the main supermarket groups – Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury and Tesco – about establishing a store in the town.

ELDC chiefs are believed to support the sale of the cattle market to make way for such a development – but it is not yet official policy. At a meeting of Louth Town Council, Coun Jill Makinson-Sanders claimed the uncertainty was 'creating a lot of disquiet'.

She said the time had come for a public meeting to allow ELDC officers to spell out the position and answer questions.

Most members seemed to agree, with the Mayor, Coun Fran Treanor observing: "I don't see a problem with that."

However, a dissenting view came from Coun Clive Finch, who is also a district councillor. He described the latest round of speculation about the future of the cattle market as 'pure conjecture'.

Coun David Skinner felt such a meeting might be premature pending clarification on what might happen to the store operated by Somerfield, whose takeover by the Co-op was announced earlier this summer.

However, Coun Eileen Ballard was strongly in favour of the public meeting.

She said: "We need to be proactive rather than reactive. Let's get the ball rolling."