Bradford Council is expected to press ahead with a total ban on pavement displays outside city centre shops next year.

The Council's executive committee will be recommended by officers at its meeting next Tuesday to stop traders displaying their goods outside.

But they will advise members to defer it for a year while the city is being redeveloped.

Today Mary Frame, a member of Bradford Chamber of Trade's executive branded the recommendation as "crazy".

And florist John Hardaker said the views of 2,500 people who signed a petition against a ban would be ignored if the decision went through.

He added traders would quit the city, even if the ban was delayed for a year.

Officers have pointed out that although the Council has power to control the size and location of pavement displays it has no powers to deal with what they contain.

And although some displays are attractive, others have included second-hand furniture.

Today Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, the Council's executive member for the environment, said: "The Council is committed to rejuvenating the city centre and making it a high-quality area for people to live, work and shop.

"There are many pavement displays in the city centre which are unsightly, unsafe and do nothing to enhance the image of Bradford, including displaying non-food items in milk crates, and second-hand furniture.

"The Council cannot control what is displayed outside so the ban seems to be the only way forward to remove these unsightly displays from our city centre.

"However, we appreciate while regeneration work is being carried out, trade in the city centre is suffering and we do not wish to make life harder for the businesses, which are vital to the city's regeneration."

She said the committee would also consider a licensing system, and allowing pavement displays where there was enough room on the pavement. But neither would allow the Council to control the content of the displays.

Mr Hardaker, owner of James Street Florists, said: "All the ban would add would be to give businesses a year to get out of the city.

"There is a petition signed by 2,500 people and this would be a disgrace when the councillors are elected to serve the people they represent," he added.

Mrs Frame said: "I feel very strongly about this personally. It would be absolute madness to impose a total ban. They say they want a continental feel about the city and this is exactly the opposite."