MARKET Traders in Otley say this year's Tour de Yorkshire will leave them out of pocket - again.

The 2018 edition of the annual cycling race kicks off on Thursday, May 3 and will reach Wharfedale on Friday, May 4 during the Barnsley to Ilkley stage.

Local cycling fans will be able to cheer on the Men's race riders once more on Sunday, May 6 as they return through Otley for the final Halifax to Leeds section.

The arrival of the Tour on Friday will involve a series of short, 'rolling' road closures - but market traders on Kirkgate are looking at a full day of lost earnings.

Stallholders on the high street have been told they cannot set up at all on May 4, though they have been offered the chance to open in the market square instead.

Martin Midgley, who runs the Fine Food stall, said: "Traders have lost out repeatedly over the last four years, going back to the Tour de France, due to these cycle races.

"We always seem to be not even considered but Otley's a market town - where would it be without its market?

"We're trying to run a business and support the town and that's why we get so disgruntled about this - Kirkgate will be closed on our busiest day of the week.

"And it's not just us, the race goes through other market towns and traders there will also be losing out."

Fellow Kirkgate stallholder Philip Cumiskey said: "I fail to see why they arrange these kinds of things for the biggest trading day of a market town.

"Why couldn't they have arranged to bring all the riders through at the end of the day - or better still on a different day?

"There are reports every year saying that the Tour's made millions for the local economy but who gets it? It certainly isn't us, we just lose money.

"Not many of the shops do well from it either, I've spoken to some who say they won't even bother opening.

"It would be nice if someone thought about us when they organised these things."

Many residents have voiced their support for the traders on the Otley Market Facebook page, including Emma Tenniswood who posted: "It's all about how Otley looks to everyone else and on the TV, not about the people who keep Otley alive day in, day out."

A spokeswoman for Leeds City Council, which manages Otley Market, said: "We very much welcome this fantastic event to Otley and across Leeds and work closely with organisers to ensure we make the most of what is an incredible spectacle with minimum disruption.

"Only some of the traders are being displaced – those on the roadside – and they have been offered the chance to set up on the main market square instead on Friday.

"If they choose not to do this they will be fully refunded their day’s rent, and everything will be ready for normal roadside trading again on the Saturday."

Race organisers Tour de Yorkshire said they sympathised with the traders' plight.

A spokesman said: "With large scale events like this a certain degree of disruption is simply unavoidable.

"While the traders will miss out on this particular day we hope that, by showing Otley off to a global audience of millions, it will encourage more people to visit the town and its brilliant market throughout the rest of the year and the traders will benefit in the long term.

"We are listening and will do our best to factor their concerns into future planning."