ORGANISERS of Real Food Ilkley have announced the cancellation of the April and May markets, usually held on The Grove on the first Sunday of the month.

The decision comes in light of the Coronavirus and a notification from Bradford Council that no temporary traffic regulation orders for any events in the Bradford District will be allowed from now until at least the 31st May.

A spokesperson from Real Food Ilkley said: “This is a huge blow to our stallholders and to Real Food Ilkley which runs as a not for profit organisation run by volunteers. Independent businesses are suffering and we want to do all we can to support our stallholders and also ensure the market is able to continue when the bans are lifted.”

Real Food Ilkley is currently collating all stallholder products that are available for order and delivery so customers can still support the local producers. “We understand that this situation is incredibly damaging to local and independent traders. Our customers can’t get to our market so we’re working on taking the market to them. All businesses and organisations are having to adapt in this trying time and Real Food Ilkley is no different. We want to ensure our stallholders are supported as much as possible and that Real Food Ilkley is around for years to come.”

Customers will shortly be able to go to Real Food Ilkley’s website at realfoodilkley.co.uk and see the products stallholders have to sell alongside delivery and collection details.

If you have any suggestions of how else Real Food Ilkley can help local residents, the team has asked people to get in touch at realfoodilkley@gmail.com however please bear with them as they are all volunteers so may not respond straight away.