ORGANISERS of a new fine food market planned to take place in Ilkley next year hope to establish Community Interest Company (CIC) status for their venture.

The Real Food Ilkley team has been working on the project for about a year now, completing an extensive public consultation and issued the final feasibility report to Ilkley Parish Council at the beginning of October.

The retailer consultation process is also now complete, and the group says it is in the process of setting up as a CIC.

In a statement this week, the group of volunteers said: "We submitted an application for a licence to hold the ten market events in 2016 to Bradford Council (Market Services) at the beginning of November. Ilkley ward councillors are fully in the loop.

"Although the market licence application is still in progress, we are mindful that if we are successful and we are allowed to proceed with the launch next year, we actually need to start the process of inviting potential applicants to take a stall, to come forward now. We are opening the application process this week and it will close on December 18."

As well as existing local commercial businesses, there will be spaces at each event for new start-ups with a focus on food and drink, and stands available for local community groups, voluntary organisations or health promotion groups.