A NEW video offers a taste of what a new food market in the centre of Bradford will look like.

Shown as part of a presentation on the £21 million shake-up of the city centre markets, the concept video shows how a new food market built on the site of the former Marks & Spencer will transform Darley Street, and open Piccadilly up to more shoppers.

The plans were revealed earlier this year, but during a presentation on Tuesday, councillors were told that rather than the former department store being re-purposed, the building will be demolished and replaced with the striking new structure.

The shake-up will see a food market on Darley Street, and the Kirkgate Market refurbished to become a non-food market.

Oastler Market would shut once the new markets open, to be replaced by a housing development.

Members of Bradford Council's Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee received an update on the project from Market Manager Colin Wolstenholme on Tuesday evening. He told members the idea was not to just replace the existing offer, but to create a new market that would attract shoppers who would not normally venture to the existing markets.

He told members a mix of "changing shopping expectations" and the closure of Morrisons in the Oastler Centre had led to a downturn in shoppers at the current markets.

A video was shown to members giving a flavour of what the Darley Street market, due to open in 2021, would look like. It shows that the market would be over three levels, with an entrance to both the ground and lower ground floor from Darley Street. It would be on these floors that traders would sell food.

There will also be an entrance to the market through Piccadilly.

The first floor would feature numerous vendors selling prepared food to eat in a large food court, and Mr Wolstenholme said the focus would be on diverse independent vendors, rather than chains like McDonalds and KFC.

It would stay open until the evening to try to boost Darley Street's evening economy.

Plans for the Kirkgate Market will be revealed in the New Year.

Mr Wolstenholme said although the council had considered re-using the M&S building, it was decided it would be easier and more suitable to completely replace the building with the new build.

He said: "We have to take the city's markets forward. We can't expect customers to use our market just because they have always used them. We need to attract more young people to become market shoppers."

He said there would be a reduction in stalls in the new market, and traders would have to go through a vetting process to gain a spot in the new markets.

Members of the committee asked what would happen to existing traders who were unsuccessful in applying for the new markets. Mr Wolstenholme said many may not want to move and consider retiring or moving on. Others would be offered courses to "upskill" or provided with help to re-locate, either in the city centre or other district markets.

He said it was important to fill the markets with quality traders, adding: "A market is only as good as its poorest trader. We don't want to water down our offer. We don't want to spent a lot of money on a new market that only has the same offer as the Oastler Centre or the existing Kirkgate Market.

"We have hearing from traders who say their business is being impacted by neighbours who are selling inferior goods."