A contingent of angry Settle traders is heading for the district council’s planning committee meeting on Monday when an application will be heard in secret to lift trading restrictions on Booths supermarket.

A legal agreement restricting the sale of some items was placed “in perpetuity” when planning permission for the store was given in 2000.

In 2006 Booths applied to have some restrictions lifted but the matter was held up for legal discussions. Currently the store is only allowed to sell food, drink and a number of consumable household goods.

A new group, Settle Traders’ Forum, is hoping to put a strong case against the application to the planning committee and show the depth of feeling among traders who fear for their livelihoods. The forum is growing in number and already has 40 members.

Tom Algie, of the town’s Practically Everything shop, who is heading the campaign, said T-shirts had been printed. And hearts have been made which read “Love Settle Shops” and “We like Booths just the way they are” which are to be displayed in shop windows.

The group is also thinking about making placards to display at the planning meeting before the discussion, which is being held in private.

Mr Algie said: “The Settle Traders’ Forum is an informal group of local retailers. We are not looking to replace the Chamber of Trade but we intend to stay united in our opposition to this application by Booths and emphasise the positive side of the campaign.”

Mr Algie and other traders have been delivering letters around local shops seeking their support against the application which, if passed on Monday, would allow the supermarket to stock a wider range of items.

They were also due to lobby market traders on Tuesday and the forum was due to meet yesterday evening (Wednesday) to approve its representation speech.

When the application was first aired four years ago, Settle Town Council pledged to support the town’s traders and voted against the plans.

However the last election brought in new councillors with differing opinions and, at the last meeting, members voted on a narrow majority to support the application.

Mr Algie, a former town councillor, said he wanted as many people as possible to go to the planning meeting and even suggested people organised minibuses or a coach.

“Over 90 per cent of the retailers in the town centre are against this move by Booths,” he said. “We had thought that Booths were different to other supermarkets, but this attempt to have all the restrictions lifted shows them to be just the same as the other big chains.

“I am really disappointed but I hope that they will have a last minute rethink on the damage this could do to their reputation in Settle.”

The campaigners say it is not just established shops that are against the move. More than 10 town centre businesses are under new ownership or have started in the last two years. Steve Craig, new owner of Castleberg Outdoors, said: “I moved here 18 months ago with my young family but it’s not just the footfall past my shop I am worried about; I feel particularly sorry for others who have just started up. “Gary Knights, next door, bought the local paper shop two months ago with these restrictions in place. This move by Booths could cut his trade by 30 per cent,” he said.

“A new clothes shop, Mastrella, was opened by local girl Tracy Lambert last Saturday. How must she feel knowing that Booths could start selling clothes next week?”

The planning meeting will be held at Granville Street, Skipton, on Monday at 1.30pm but the committee has decided to discuss the Booths issue in private session.