Penryn Camera Club will boycott this year's Penryn Fair Day after being booted from their Town Hall spot in favour of a group from Penryn Campus.

The club has displayed its pictures in the hall on Fair Day for seven years now, and chairman Derek Godridge had said he was under the impression that it was already booked for this year, but he was told by a member of the town council that the Fair Day Committee had decided to offer it to the university this year instead.

After this was announced at the club's annual general meeting, members were told that there was an offer to use either the town library or the Methodist church hall instead, but voted unanimously not to exhibit at all this year.

Mr Godridge said: "We were perfectly happy where we were."

He said was told that the committee still wanted the club involved in the town's 800th anniversary celebrations this year, but the club was also told that the the committee "want to get the university more involved in the town."

He said: "I thought we might be able to look at the Methodist Church just for this year. The the mood of the members was they just wanted to withdraw. Which was really disappointing.

"Our exhibitions attract people from other camera clubs... it's really disappointing that Fair Day could be enjoying that sort of support from other members, and a lot of locals, and people who might be interested in photography.

"We just think it's a real shame."

"We have been there for seven years... and it's a real disappointment to be treated in this way in favour of the university."

Although bookings for the Town Hall are usually the responsibility of Penryn Town Council, for Fair Day the town's venues are all under the control of the Penryn Fair Day Committee.

Councillor Mary May, who is on the Fair Day Committee, said: "On this occasion the university were asked to come into the town.

"We did offer them [the Camera Club] the library, or I offered to speak to Rose at the chapel to see if we could accommodate them, but I know they must be disappointed. They used to display in the chapel.

"Because this is the 800th year one of the committee members asked the university to put on some some science or a project in the town and I think the Town Hall was offered to them."

The original plan had been for a Penryn version of Falmouth's 'Science in the Square', to be held in a marquee, but the potential cost led to the committee offering the hall instead.

Mr Godridge said the camera club had grown and neither the chapel nor the library would suit the club, especially as the Methodist hall is not very accessible.

He added that although the camera club will not be at this year's Fair Day, members are expected to exhibit their work at a community event at The Space at Penryn Rugby Club a little later in the year.

A University of Exeter spokesperson said: "The Penryn Fair Day Committee is responsible for arrangements connected to the event, including the allocation of venues to all participating exhibitors.

"The university is more than happy to work with both the Penryn Camera Club and the Fair Day’s committee members to help find an acceptable and amicable solution together."