REGULAR weekly, fortnightly, monthly and seasonal sales start next week at Harrison and Hetherington's new centres in Cumbria and County Durham.

This follows an agreement in principle for the transfer of Penrith Farmers' & Kidd's farmstock business to Harrison & Hetherington, Carlisle.

From Monday, Harrison & Hetherington will acquire the freehold assets of Kirkby Stephen mart and the remaining nine years of PF&K's lease on Lazonby mart.

Separate arrangements have been made with the directors of the mart companies at Middleton-in-Teesdale and St John's Chapel in County Durham, under which Harrison & Hetherington will also operate those marts from Monday.

Harrison & Hetherington has already scheduled regular weekly, fortnightly, monthly and special fixtures for the forthcoming seasonal store and breeding sales at all four marts.

This is in addition to the sales calendar for Harrison & Hetherington's centres at Carlisle (Borderway), Lockerbie and Newcastleton and, under the H&H Kendal Partnership, at Kendal and Broughton marts.

In a letter to shareholders on the transfer of the business, H&H Group chairman Ian Walker says: "Our proposed agreement with PF&K is intended to create for all farmers a more secure and sustainable future for livestock marketing in the region, and to reinforce your company's strong commitment to the live auction system."

Harrison & Hetherington has begun an immediate £100,000 investment programme for Lazonby and Kirkby Stephen marts in preparation for the busy autumn sales fixtures.

This programme includes new steel pennage at Lazonby, where licensing arrangements through Defra are already well in hand to ensure the mart's full operation in the first week of September.

Further investment at Kirkby Stephen includes new office and computer facilities, pennage renewal, upgrading of the weighbridge and total refurbishment of the cafeteria.

While the new centres play a key role in the autumn marketing of store and breeding sheep in the region, regular weekly sales and collections of primestock as well as regular sales of store cattle will begin next week, to run throughout the year.

Mr Walker explains in his letter to shareholders: "Both Andrew Holliday, the chairman of PF&K, and I have warned in our previous annual reports of the inevitable restructuring of the auction mart system in the UK.

"Auction marts are no different from the retail industry in that their revenue depends on the volume and value of stock sold. Both of these have been reduced significantly during recent years.

"Future long term pressures on stock numbers from CAP reform and on values from the influence on prices of meat, now emerging as a global commodity, will have a further impact on the UK livestock transfer business.

"Simultaneously, operating costs steadily rise in a service industry where the largest cost is staff and where every day seems to bring additional regulatory requirements and their associated costs."

Sales fixtures at the four new centres will include. -

Kirkby Stephen: fortnightly store cattle sales starting on Monday with the opening show and sale at 11.30; weekly sales of prime and lightweight lambs, cast and feeding ewes and store lambs, starting on Tuesday at 4.30pm; weekly collections of primestock and OTMS cattle; annual sales for C District of the Swaledale Sheep Breeders' Association and for other sheep breeds including Blue-faced Leicesters.

Lazonby:weekly prime sheep sales starting on Wednesday at 10am; weekly collections of primestock and OTMS cattle; first special sale of Mule, Suffolk X and Continental X ewes, two- to three-shear and over, on Wednesday;annual sales of North of England Mules, Blue-faced Leicesters and Swaledales.

Middleton-in-Teesdale: weekly sales of prime and lightweight lambs, cast and feeding ewes and store lambs starting on Wednesday at 5.30pm; weekly collections of primestock and OTMS cattle; special regular monthly sales of store and breeding cattle along with the opening sale of store lambs and breeding sheep on Monday, September 9; annual special sales of suckled calves and store cattle.

St John's Chapel: Swaledale wether and other breeds of store lambs on Friday, September 6, at 11am; six special sales to include D District ram sales for the Swaledale Sheep Breeders' Association