TRADERS think it will only be a matter of time before they are taking the euro and they reckon Britain will soon make the change completely.

Most traders are welcoming the move to make the UK European, especially those who deal with European companies or have links with the continent.

But at the same time, businesses have tended to steer clear of trading in the euro, but many are confident that in the months and years to come things will change.

Already English travellers leaving Leeds Bradford International Airport have shown an interest in the new currency, according to Tho-mas Cook Bur-eau de Change duty manager Gillian Marchant.

She said: "Busi-ness has been very brisk since the euro arrived here in the early hours of New Year's Day.

"The majority of people have been curious but happy to accept the money and they are generally pleased.

"It would be fair to say that businessmen are hoping we will follow suit because it would make life easier for them, as well as travellers who go across Europe on a regular basis."

Ivor Hughes, owner of Mayfair Antiques, Cross Green, Otley, specialises in French antiques and often travels abroad to Europe.

He said: "I will happily accept euros and I already take all sorts of currency, dollars, francs and now euros.

"The UK becoming part of Europe and taking the euro will be inevitable because of the amount of the British public who go abroad."

Trevor Backhouse, proprietor of Patisserie Viennoise, on Westgate, said: "In view of the whole country not taking the euro, I don't accept it, but it does seem like we are getting left behind.

"I deal with a company in Holland and it would be so much simpler if I could write a cheque in euros instead of having to go through the bank.

"It is all very well hanging on to nostalgia and people don't like change, but in this instance I think we have done the wrong thing.

"Our Euro cousins will be begrudging that they have to change their euro into sterling and they might even be put off England all together."

Boots the Chemist is halfway to accepting the currency - by accepting Boots euro vouchers.

Waheed Sadiq, manager of the Otley branch of Boots, said: "Only stores that take the euro currency already have been affected by the new euro, and they are those mostly in airports.

"We definitely ha-ve plans for the future and all Boots stores do take Boots euro gift vouchers, because of Northern Ireland's inclusion."

A spokesperson from Althams Travel on Kirkgate said: "We have had a lot of people in asking for them, but we won't be dealing in euros as such.

"The euro will be hugely useful for people travelling from Otley on coach trips across Europe where they travel through a number of countries and stop in each one.

"Before, if they had stopped for a coffee in a country they were passing through, they'd need some change in a number of currencies."

Jonathan Rutter, HSBC bank manager and President of Otley's Chamber of Trade, said: "As far as the bank is concerned we naturally accept euros along with most other currencies.

"We also offer Euro accounts to both personal & business customers although we haven't seen a massive demand thus far."