The Greenmarket - which has stood for more than 20 years - has been earmarked for demolition under plans to extend the city's Eldon Square shopping centre.

Traders have collected a petition with more than 50,000 signatures from customers wanting to save the building.

Tony Flynn, leader of Newcastle City Council, is due to meet the traders on Thursday with a "compromise" aimed at saving the stalls.

If they have listened, that's democracy and and it's great and we can get rid of the petition

Tenant John Bratton

The original Greenmarket started as an informal open air market and towards the end of the19th Century, moved to buildings at Green Court.

It moved to its present Eldon Square location in 1976.

The council had wanted to shut the market - which has everything from fruit and vegetable stalls to tarot card readers - to make way for new shops in the £120m facelift.

John Bratton, of the Greenmarket Tenants Association, told BBC Radio Newcastle he believed the council had been forced to listen to the people.

Democratic voice

"The people are still signing the petition in droves," he said.

"We've actually switched the petition from 'Save the Greenmarket' to 'can we have a new elected mayor'.

"That was in the belief that the council were ignoring 50,000 people who had signed the petition.

"If they have listened, that's democracy and and it's great and we can get rid of the petition."