Traders at Shipley Indoor Market today said they were delighted their future was no longer in the hands of Bradford Council.

For months the Council and landlord London & Associated Properties have been at loggerheads over rent and service charges levels.

The Telegraph & Argus reported on Wednesday that the Council's executive committee has refused to renew the contract with the landlord for September - when the lease expires - because councillors feared there would be a hike in rents.

But trader Adrian Hillary, who runs LMH Discounts stall, said all the stall holders were pleased with the outcome.

"We have had written assurances from London & Associated Properties that a management team has been set up to run the market and we have every confidence in them," he said.

"This building has been neglected for years and we hope this signifies a new beginning for us."

The market was leased from the Council to the London-based property company, which then sub-leased it back to the authority.

The Council also agreed any tenants who did not wish to stay with the landlord would be found alternative sites with the authority.

Longest-standing trader Dudley Kavanagh, who set up his bookshop stall 33 years ago, said he would not re-locate and was happy to stay in Shipley. He said: "My customer base is here and starting up somewhere else could be very difficult."

Maureen Bradbury, who has run Threads haberdashery stall for 12 years, said she was fed up with people asking her when the market was closing down.

"We're all keen to stay here. It's our livelihoods and we're looking forward to the future," she said.

James Charlton, property manager for London & Associated Properties, said an agent would be employed to take over the everyday needs of the Westgate building.

"We hope we can sit down as soon as possible with tenants and find out what changes they would like to see," he said.

A Council spokesman said: "We regret that, after lengthy negotiations, it has not been possible to reach an acceptable agreement for renewal of the lease."

He said the Council would be writing to the landlord and tenants to confirm the handover process had begun.