Skipton'S market traders could be heading for a showdown with the council over plans to hold a farmers' market once a month.

It could reawaken the bitter legal battles of more than 10 years ago, when the council and stallholders clashed over plans to regulate the market.

Similar farmers' markets are being negotiated for Settle and Grassington.

However, the Skipton stallholders claim there will be precious few local farmers and any market would be a commercial venture from outside the district.

They also claim extra market days would break the agreements hammered out a decade ago.

The Secretary of Skipton Market Traders' Association, Ron Knox, has written a letter to Craven District Council saying that the stallholders do not want a fifth market day to be held.

The letter reads: "It is a concern that a farmers' market has been pushed forward with no, or very little, planning or consultation and which breaks the market charter by placing a market within six and two thirds of a mile from the existing market currently held in Skipton."

It also pointed out that the stallholders' own market had been reduced to four-days a week and traders' vans removed, although the market had improved, with a good relationship between local people, businesses and the town's market officers.

Mr Knox told the Herald: "Nobody actually knows where it's going to go. It can't go on the setts and to go on the road Craven District Council say they won't pay for the road closure and I am not sure that North Yorkshire County Council is prepared to pay for it.

"It's not a farmers' market, it's a commercial enterprise. If it was genuine nobody would have any objection. If it was what I thought were local farmers and producers I would not have a problem, but a commercial enterprise is wanting to weed its way in.

"I don't think it's viable. There will only be 10 to 12 stalls and it could increase to something bigger and have cheese-making and leather goods.

"The market officer wasn't informed and I think the decision has been made with no consultation."

Johnathan Kerr, head of economic and community development, said that the concerns of the market traders were taken seriously.

"We want Skipton to be successful in all of its aspects and the market is a key element of Skipton and its economy.

He said of the farmers' market: "There needs to be some checks put in place to make sure it's locally made, locally produced produce and that priority is given to local stall holders."

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs this week announced a £41,328 grant for Alistair Davy, a farmer from near Richmond, who has set up a company, Northern Dales Farmers' Markets, which wants to bring the markets to the area. It sells items from buffalo burgers and speciality cheeses to home-made bread and ostrich eggs.

The markets are held at Stokesley, Thirsk, Bedale, Hawes, Richmond, Northallerton, Leyburn and Middlesbrough.