Fifty “disillusioned” traders at one of the district’s biggest indoor market centres have signed a petition calling for Bradford Council to stop holding temporary outdoor markets.

The vast majority of stallholders in the Oastler Shopping Centre, off West-gate, Bradford, believe their trade is being “creamed off” by temporary street markets in Darley Street and Kirkgate.

Chief petitioner Mick Egan, who runs a clothing stall in the Oastler Centre, has submitted the document to Colin Wolstenholme, markets manager for the Council.

In an accompanying letter, Mr Egan said: “Following discussions with my colleagues, we are extremely disappointed and disillusioned to find that you continue to introduce impromptu outside markets stretching the length of Darley Street and on Kirkgate without prior notice.

“As our landlord, should you be creating these extra markets when we have many empty stalls in both markets and have growing numbers of tenants serving their notice to quit, and many others considering whether they can continue any longer?

“We are extremely concerned for our future and suffer greatly as a result of these extra markets and wonder what the thinking is behind them. We feel that your focus should be looking after the existing loyal traders you already have and should consider how to bring more people into the permanent markets.”

Mr Egan suggested the Council could introduce free parking after 2pm in the Westgate and Kirkgate car parks, in line with out-of-town shopping centres.

He said traders would like to see a more proactive approach to rejuvenating the markets.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “We have received the petition and will be taking it through the Council’s process for dealing with petitions.”