AN angry shopkeeper in Malham has accused the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority of taking away his livelihood.

Michael Orrell, who owns Gordale Gift shop, said the national park authority was "snatching away trade when times were hard" by selling similar products in direct competition to local businesses.

Mr Orrell runs the shop with his wife, Julie, and sells crafts, gifts and outdoor wear including jackets, hats and socks.

He said the national park had tried to sell products in direct competition with local businesses in past years but had stopped after protests had been made.

However, he added that he had recently discovered national park information centres, including the one in Malham, were now selling similar kinds of products to local shops who relied heavily on the passing tourism trade.

In a letter of protest to the national park authority, Mr Orrell said: "In view of the fact that you do not pay the full business rate and are funded by the tax payer, me included, I do not consider it to be fair competition for the centre to be selling, among other things, fleece hats, gloves and walking socks, in competition with local businesses.

"Trading in Malham is difficult enough and we provide services in winter when the Yorkshire Dales National Park does not consider it economically viable to open."

He told the Herald: "I've found out from my sock supplier in the Lake District that he's supplying socks to the national park as well. My sock sales have gone down by about 50 per cent as a result of this.

"When the authority is subsidised so heavily by public money I can't believe they're doing this to local businesses. I'm paying for myself to be shot in the foot."

Mr Orrell added a member of the national park had admitted, off the record, that the authority would be able to sell anything as long as it displayed the national park logo.

"I just want to know what they're going to start selling next - ice cream or what? All they have to do is display their symbol to get away with it."

Mr Orrell added that he had received "wishy-washy" replies from letters sent to the national park authority chief executive Heather Hancock. A letter was also sent to the authority by Kirkby Malham Parish Council.

In a reply, Mrs Hancock said: "The national park authority is extremely conscious of the requirement to carry out its duties and fulfil its purposes whilst fostering the social and economic wellbeing of the local community, and the retail operation in Malham National Park Centre is managed and developed with this in mind.

"To ensure this, we do pay full business rates, only sell a limited product range, and members of the authority require that items sold through national park centres are either branded with the national park logo or carry a tag with a conservation message."

She added: "Past experience has shown that fully serviced national park centres even with a limited stock range as in Malham, encourage visitors to stay longer and bring trade into the area."

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