A stallholder is calling on Craven District Council to provide a regular refuse collection for market traders in a bid to clean up Skipton High Street.

Michael Drewett says Skipton is the only council-run market in the country which does not provide a rubbish removal service as part of the traders' rent.

"The streets are a mess because there are no rubbish clearance facilities," said Mr Drewett, who runs a discount goods stall. "It is a basic facility that should be provided."

Traders were forced to get rid of their rubbish in other ways - some were using skips belonging to local shopkeepers.

"The council has said that if we put rubbish in their bins they will take action, so all the rubbish gets dumped in other places and is taken away by the council anyway," said Mr Drewett. "It is a big problem."

Skipton man Mr Drewett has written to the council to request a rubbish removal service for the market. His next step will be to meet local MP David Curry to discuss the matter.

Mr Drewett would like to see a bin wagon going around the market in the morning and afternoon, and says he and other traders would be prepared to pay a reasonable sum for the service.

This week John Shakespeare, of the council's environmental services department, said the provision of a refuse collection service for the market traders was something the council was looking at.

"We are looking into it," he said. "We need to look at the figures, how much it would cost and the practicalities of doing it."

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