A BUTCHER has caused a row among Clitheroe's market traders after he asked permission to prepare meat on non-market days.

Stuart Gradwell, who owns Gradwell Quality Butchers, applied to Ribble Valley Council for permission to use his market cabin to prepare cuts of meat ready for trade the following day.

Clitheroe market opens on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and the butcher has been granted permission to prepare meat for two hours on Monday and four hours each on Wednesdays and Fridays.

But some stallholders urged councillors to refuse the application amid fears he would sell meat to customers who might not return for legitimate days.

A petition signed by 21 people against the plans was handed to the council.

The claim, which was made by stallholders who run temporary stalls was rubbished by Mr Gradwell and he has received the backing of permanent stallholders.

Mr Gradwell, 52, of Brierfield, wants to prepare meat on non-market days because his other meat stall, at Nelson market, has recently closed down.

Previously, preparation work was carried out there.

He said: "I've been at Clitheroe market for the last 20 years and I have never wanted to open for six days a week.

"This is a rumour spread by certain stallholders and it is completely misleading.

"I will simply prepare meat on the previous day, while keeping the shutters down.

"This has been blown completely out of all proportion."

Derek Wood, who runs the Household Goods stall and is a member of the market liaison committee which represents the 39 cabin holders and a number of stallholders, backed the butcher.

He said: "Most, if not all of the cabin holders, don't have a problem with it.

"It's mainly one or two stallholders and I don't understand what harm it can do."

June Kenyon, of Halls Feeds and Seeds said: "The petition is totally misleading because we were told the butcher was going to open six days a week.

"That is obviously not true, so anyone signing the petition did so under false pretences.

"Many people come on non-market days to check stock or prepare orders."

A stallholder, who asked not to be named, said: "The worry is that if they are tempted to sell meat on non-market days then those customers, who might buy things from other stalls, won't come back on legitimate days.

"The petition was signed because we don't want it to become a six-day market."

Councillors on Ribble Valley's community committee approved the request, subject to the user paying an extra £20 rent per week.