TRADERS are facing the dole following a council's decision to sell its lease interests in an indoor market, it was claimed last night.

Up to 30 small firms could go to the wall, with the loss of 100 jobs, as a consequence of Middlesbrough Borough Council's agreement to sell its leasehold interests in the Hill Street Centre, Middlesbrough, to the centre's owners for £18m.

John Foster, the council's chief executive, said: "The decision is we go ahead and dispose of our interests in the Hill Street Centre to the Royal Sun Alliance, who own the development.

"We have the lease on the car park, a lease on the market hall and a lease on the public toilets. The decision of the cabinet is to dispose of all those interests.

"The offer is £16.7m with the proviso of an additional payment subject to Royal Sun Alliance's final determination of what it wants to do with the market hall.''

It is understood the additional payment would be £2m.

Traders picketed yesterday's decision-making meeting of Middlesbrough council's cabinet, calling on the local authority to save the market.

Spokesman George Davis said: "This has kept a lot of people in a lot of jobs for a lot of years, and kept them off the dole.''

Mr Foster said: "The decision was in line with our duty to manage our assets to produce the maximum benefit for the residents and council taxpayers of Middlesbrough.

"They can look forward to substantial investment in the fabric of the town.''