Bradford's biggest housing estate will lose its only butchers shop today - despite massive support from customers to keep it open.

Mr D Discount on The Parade, Holme Wood, will shut its doors for the last time after butcher Paul Metcalfe was told by Bradford Council to sell only meat or face court action.

Around 400 residents signed a petition demanding the shop be allowed to stay open but neither the Council or Mr Metcalfe were willing to back down.

Mr Metcalfe, who is moving his trade to Keighley, said he couldn't make the Council-leased shop pay if he didn't sell other goods.

He said: "It's a shame for the people who have rallied round me. They will miss the shop.

"It's very frustrating to see a business you've built up have to close but there's nothing we can do.

"I don't know where people will go to get their meat but the lease makes it impossible for me to continue." Mr Metcalfe said he started selling goods including biscuits, sweets and crisps after being hit hard by the BSE crisis.

"Selling meat doesn't pay enough any more. I can't survive without selling other goods," he said.

Other traders on The Parade were angered by what they considered unfair trading and urged the Council to take action. But resident Brian Harrison, who organised a demonstration last Friday and drew up the petition, said he still planned to present the signatures to the Council.

He said: "People will be stuck without the shop. It was very popular because it sold what people wanted and was cheap.''

The Parade, which has several empty shops, needed more traders to open up to encourage competition and stop trade falling into fewer hands, added Mr Harrison.

A spokesman for Bradford Council Property Services said: "Due to Mr Metcalfe's lack of trade he was selling goods which were already being sold by other traders in the area.

"While it is unfortunate that any business should close, the Council has a duty to ensure the viability of businesses are not threatened by the illegal actions of another trader."

Mr Metcalfe had been warned for 18 months to uphold the conditions of his lease before a notice was served, said the spokesman.

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