Major city centre markets and events could be moved to Centenary Square after traders claimed business had been affected by stalls outside their properties.

Bradford Council's markets manager Malcolm Veigas said today use of the square would be considered if the street markets were repeated.

Jeweller Jeff Frankel, who collected signatures from 100 traders protesting about the Christmas street market last year, welcomed the decision.

He said: "It would be better but the fact is that the majority of traders don't want them at all."

Mr Veigas said the Council was planning a number of events to boost the city centre but details could not be finalised until the authority's budget was agreed.

Talks are due to be held with the Chamber of Trade received replies to questionnaires from 43 city centre businesses relating to the markets. The survey showed 34 businesses had dropped during the markets, five reported an increase in trade and four said there had been no change.

But 39 said the location of the markets in city centre streets had been wrong, with only three approving.

Now the Chamber has written to the executive member for regeneration Councillor Simon Cooke, Mr Veigas, and Bradford Centre Regeneration chief executive Maud Marshall calling for consultation over future events.

The Chamber has stressed its total support for the efforts of the markets section to regenerate the city.

But it believes the timing of the Christmas markets was wrong because opportunities for the local traders who depended heavily on the seasonal increase in business were hit.

Val Summerscales, the Chamber secretary, said in the letter that some traders had complained their windows were hidden by the stalls.

But the Council's own survey after the big street market last August Bank Holiday reported to councillors showed 41 per cent of businesses had an increase in visitors to their premises.

A total of 89 per cent said it gave the city a "feel good" factor and 81 per cent felt it should be repeated.

Coun Cooke welcomed the correspondence from the Chamber of Trade and said there would be talks.

He said: "I am pleased with the positive way the Chamber has responded and I hope we can sit down and talk about it."

Mr Veigas said: "I think you learn from experience and I look forward rather than back. We have been working around events this year which will add value to the city centre and district but the budget has not yet been finalised.

"The use of Centenary Square is definitely an option we will look at but we do have to remember that we have retailers who have got businesses in Northgate and right to Broadway who have said they were pleased the market had been brought to the city."