Hundreds of furious shop owners are calling on Bradford Council to shut down a bazaar that is operating illegally.

They fear their businesses are being hit hard by “unfair competition” from traders at the unlawful market on the former Shires site in Beckside Road, Lidget Green.

The local authority has confirmed the business does not have planning permission or a market licence.

A Council spokesman said: “We are aware that an unlawful market is operating from these premises and that many local businesses are concerned about it.

“We are also aware that there are no planning consents that would authorise retail sales from the building. A retrospective planning application is under consideration. In the meantime the matter has been referred to our Legal Service for them to take appropriate enforcement action.”

Councillor David Green, Bradford Council’s executive member for regeneration, said: “When people open without the appropriate permission we need to act quickly to deal with the issue “When people come to us, looking to open a bazaar, we need to explain to them why it may not be appropriate.

“We want to protect existing businesses and make sure that the regeneration of the city centre is not affected.”

His comments follow a meeting held with traders from the Leeds Road, White Abbey and Great Horton areas.

Habib Rehman, owner of the Dharkan Boutique in Whetley Lane, said: “There is really a lot of concern about this because we have all been here for a long time and believe this is unfair competition.”

Owner Mohammed Saeed, who runs the business under the Tradex name, said he was operating it as a cash and carry with stalls and was paying business rates to Bradford Council on behalf of his tenants.

Mr Saeed has applied for retrospective planning permission to use the site for retail.

However, Coun Green revealed that enforcement action had been taken against the site owners before the latest planning application was submitted.

He said he believed that the current site needed a markets licence, which it does not currently possess.

All markets trading within a six-mile area of the city centre need such a licence.

“I have got a great deal of sympathy with the traders,” said Coun Green. “These are people who have been operating in Bradford for many years, have built up successful businesses and are now facing unfair competition from an organisation that is currently operating outside of the planning and markets rules.”

Mr Saeed said: “I have had a conversation with Bradford Markets and I have quite categorically told them that it is not a market. A market is where anybody can come by and sell. We have got a restriction on who can and who can’t come in.

“The area is full of traders who feel threatened. I’m sorry but competition is competition.”