Welcome to the award winning Ilkley Chat!

The partnership between Bradford Council and the Nell Bank Queen's Silver Jubilee Centre Trust, which is responsible for the Nell Bank Centre, is due to change from April 2020. 

Dacres is celebrating a hat-trick of industry accolades.

Ilkley Grammar School has this afternoon said its half term ski trip wasn’t to one of the affected areas of northern Italy on lockdown because of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

People affected by flooding in Ilkley will be able to get help from Bradford Council. 

The finalists of the Ilkley Business Awards 2020 has been announced, the awards ceremony will be held at The Craiglands Hotel on Friday 6 March.

A flood warning has been issued due to quickly rising river levels in response to rainfall on Friday (21/02/20). The current river level at Ilkley is 2.42m (23:30) and is expected to peak at a level of 3.3m between 4am and 5am on Saturday (22/02/20). Areas of concern are properties around Denton Road, Middleton Avenue and the Cricket, Football and Rugby Grounds, the sewage works and Denton Bridge. 

Booths in Ilkley makes a guest star appearance in the popular Northern drama written by Sally Wainwright, Last Tango in Halifax, which airs on BBC1 Sunday 23 of February.

At a Ilkley Town Meeting on Thursday night, Yorkshire Water announced that rather than waiting 10 years to sort out the problem of excessive sewage discharges into the river, as set out by the Environment Agency; they will bring the investigation and solution finding through to this year with subsequent investment in cleaning up the water in Ilkley.

Ilkley Fairtrade Group is getting ready for Fairtrade Fortnight, which this year runs from Monday 24 February to Sunday 8 March with the main activity being a town-wide quiz with a prize of delicious and ethical Fairtrade chocolate bars.

Bradford Council have said that all council sports pitches will remain closed this weekend (Saturday, February 22 & Sunday 23) as more rain is forecast to fall onto the already waterlogged ground.

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A council spokesperson said: 'We are sorry for the inconvenience but allowing sporting fixtures to take place with the ground in this condition would result in serious damage to the turf.'

Figures obtained by Councillor Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley) have revealed that in the first month of Ilkley's new parking schene last year on-street pay and display totalled £33,677.90.

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Between July 29 and October 13 there were 1,702 on-street penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued which, with every PCN issued generating £27 of income over a period of time, will generate an estimated income of £45,954.

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Post-6pm charges of £1 were introduced in three town car parks - Wharfe View, Railway Road and South Hawksworth Street - and in the same period 298 PCNs were issued, generating an estimated £8,046 income.

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South Hawksworth Street car park in Ilkley has brought in £36,462 in PCN income, the most so far this financial year.

The expansion and development of Approach PR – Yorkshire’s multi-award-winning PR and social media agency – continues this month with the appointment of Junior Account Executive Emma Leeming.

As the spring equinox heralds warmer days and lighter nights, Phoenix Concert Band returns to St Margaret’s Church in Ilkley next month with tunes to take you away from it all.

A Clean Air Zone consultation event will take place at Ilkley Town Hall on Wednesday 11 March between 4pm and 8pm.

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​The proposed Clean Air Zone aims to improve air quality and the health of people in the district - particularly in the city centre, Shipley and Saltaire where pollution is highest.

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​The recommended option will see the introduction of a Class C Clean Air Zone in October 2021 - which will require a daily charge for more polluting and non-compliant vehicles like buses, coaches, taxis, heavy and light goods vehicles when they enter the area. This will not include private cars.

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​A full public consultation will run from the 18 February until the 26 March.

Ilkley Town Council is hosting a town meeting at 7.00pm on Monday 9 March in All Saints Church.

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​On the agenda will be the Grove, the top of Brook Street, including the junction with Railway Road, the proposed 20mph zone in the town and ways to improve provision for cyclists.

As Storm Dennis approaches view our blog and useful information.

Bradford Council has now started a public consultation exercise about the future direction of its Libraries Service.

Named by the Met Office, Storm Dennis will bring heavy rain and widespread strong winds on Saturday and Sunday, though the impacts are not expected to be as extreme as Storm Ciara last weekend.

The following warnings are in place for Ilkley:

Amber warning for rain: 15:00 Sat until 15:00 Sun

Yellow warning for rain: 10:00 Sat until 23:59 Sun

Yellow warning for wind: 10:00 Sat until 23:59 Sun

Further information and advice is available on the Met Office website: www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice

The Environment Agency says nothing will be done to stem the flow of sewage into the River Wharfe in Ilkley until at least 2030 - despite acknowledging that the level of sewage discharges into the river – which have been admitted by Yorkshire Water – should trigger an investigation.

The EA told the Ilkley Clean River Campaign Group nothing will happen for 10 years.and any solutions to the problem of sewage discharge would not be considered and delivered until the ninth asset management period (AMP9), which would run from 2030 to 2035.

Becky Malby, on behalf of the Ilkley Clean River campaign, said: “This is not the service we expect from our regulatory body. The public expectation is that now the problem has been identified and acknowledged, something will be done to address it as a matter of urgency.”

Campaigners have applied for a stretch of the river to be given bathing water status in an attempt to force action on the river being used as what activists describe as an open sewer.

Raising around £40,000 each year, the annual Ilkley Beer Festival was held on 7 and 8 February at the King’s Hall and Winter Garden in Ilkley with 2,500 attending.

Ilkley & Wharfedale Medical Practice and Ilkley Moor Medical Practice have jointly issued this guidance for patients regarding the Coronavirus (Covid-19).

Bradford Council have today said that due to the saturated condition of council grass sports pitches and with further heavy rain expected from storm Dennis, all Bradford Council grass sports pitches will be closed this coming weekend 15 and 16 February 2020.

This is the first such closure the Council has had to make this year and they are hopeful that fixtures will be back to normal if the weather and ground conditions improve for the following weekend.

Simon Cowell was shell shocked after they sang on BTG saying “you guys can sing “!

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Britain's Got Talent live finalists 'Bosom Buddies' will be performing a free show this Friday at The Dalesway Hotel.

Ilkley's new Sports Bar; Hub-Vybe has opened its doors and is already establishing itself as the social hub of the town.

Bradford Council Leader Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe has called on the Government to provide support immediately for flooding victims at the hands of Storm Ciara.

A Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice is in place until 12:00 on Wednesday 12 February. Forecasters say heavy snow showers and icy surfaces are likely to lead to travel disruption – however the forecast looks to be more sleet than snow, but be prepared.

Because of the predicted bad weather over the next few days, Bradford Council’s bin crews will be taking precautions.

The Friends of Ilkley Riverside Parks (FOIRP) has this week officially launched its playground appeal with the aim to raised £150,000 to update, improve and make the play area at the Ilkley Riverside Memorial Gardens the most inclusive playground around.

Disruption continues following Storm Ciara.

No trains are running between Ilkley and Leeds due to flooding at Kirkstall

Whilst all main roads are open, abandoned cars are causing a hazard.

Denton Road (pictured) remains closed due to damage to the road surface.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for wind and a yellow warning for rain in West Yorkshire and most of the UK as Storm Ciara is set to bring heavy rain and gales from Saturday evening.

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​​The yellow weather warning continues through Sunday when driving conditions are expected to be difficult, public transport could be hit with cancellations and delays and forecasters have also warned of power cuts and possible damage to buildings.

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Network Rail and train operators have issued an alert to passengers, stating: "Only travel by train this Sunday if absolutely necessary."

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Disruption could continue into Monday morning as repair work may be hampered by the conditions and passengers are urged to check for updates before travelling.

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Ilkley Chat will of course keep you updated on any problems, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

A new parking eye (camera) and machine have been installed in the car park at Boyes in Ilkley and apparently the ticket machine goes into ‘sleep mode’ and doesn’t register the first digit of the registration, which has resulted in fines being issued.

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Please check your full registration has been entered when using the machine and check your ticket.

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Boyes are arranging new signage to hopefully make it clearer and anyone who is issued a ticket needs to contact Smart Parking who manage the car park.

A planning application has been submitted to Bradford Council this week seeking permission to create raised planters outside the Station Plaza on Station Road in Ilkley.

After a hugely successful first year, The Ilkley Food & Drink Festival is returning on June 13-14, showcasing a huge selection of the region’s best talent in food, drink and performing arts. The family event is set to take place on East Holmes Field.

In April 2020, Bradford council will begin the roll-out of a new virtual parking permit system across Bradford district including Ilkley.

Five months after the fire that destroyed its pavilion, Olicanian Cricket Club has submitted a planning application for a replacement building.

One local group has the chance to receive 50% of the profits from this year’s environmentally themed event on Sunday 3rd May, with the remaining 50% distributed amongst other local good causes.

Bradford Council say their work to maintain moorland sites could play a key role in tackling climate change - carbon storage, flood management and reducing the risk of fires all contribute.

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The site contains active blanket bog - an area of terrain which is permanently wet due to high levels of rainfall. These conditions help peat bogs to form, which absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and stores it even more effectively than trees.

After over fifteen years of trading, The Yard, Ilkley has been taken over by young, Ilkley couple Lawrence Doyle and Kezia Bellamy, who are transforming the venue into a new, Premium Sports Bar.

A new 'one-stop shop' for the Ilkley Food Bank is based in a room at All Saints' Church and members of the Rotary Club of Ilkley Wharfedale gave up their time to build the new shelving.

Former Cabinet Minister Sir Oliver Letwin and Oxford University academic Emma Smith are coming to Ilkley for Ilkley Literature Festival’s 2020 Spring Series.

In recognition of the importance of environmental issues Ilkley Carnival has announced that its theme for 2020 will be ‘Our Planet’.

The carnival has been moved this year from its traditional May Day Bank Holiday to Sunday 3 May, this is due to the holiday being moved to Friday 8 May to mark the 75th anniversary of VE day.

Ilkley Beer Festival is organised by Ilkley & District Round Table and will take place on Friday 7 & Saturday 8 February 2020 at the Kings Hall and Winter Garden, Ilkley.

Ilkley residents will not see an increase in the amount of tax they pay to Ilkley Town Council in the forthcoming financial year.

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The Council has set its budget for 2020-21 and the amount of money to be raised by local precept is £325,750.00.

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On a tax base of 7,239 residents this equates to £44.99 per band D property.

The Ilkley Clean River Group's campaign for the River Wharfe in Ilkley to have Bathing Water Status makes The Guardian and The Times. The group are hoping to have a decision from Defra by May.

Ilkley and District Round Table, the organisers of the Ilkley Half Marathon, are going all out to set the pace with an environmentally-friendly event in 2020.

Bradford Council is proposing to invest £975,000 to improve and extend its CCTV infrastructure, including a plan to bring high-tech cameras to Ilkley.

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The investment outlined in the Executive’s budget proposals for 2020/21 will be used to bring the current system up to date and roll it out more widely.

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The Executive is keen to deliver new cameras for Ilkley town centre, which isn’t currently covered by the CCTV system.

Businesses and organisations in Ilkley who are worried about their impact on the environment and want to reduce, recycle and reuse more are invited by Ilkley BID to a ‘Green Evening’ Event on Tuesday 21 January, at The Clarke Foley Centre.

Ghyll Royd School and Pre-School in Burley-in-Wharfedale invited staff, governors, parents, local business owners and former pupils to join in with their celebrations at the Cavendish Pavilion on December 14. 

After receiving numerous requests for more time to enter, the Ilkley Business Awards committee have decided to extend the deadline for entries to Friday 31 January 2020.

Open to all business within LS29 - So do not delay, get your entries in today!

Keighley and Ilkley's newly-elected Conservative MP, Robbie Moore, outlines his hopes and aims for the constituency.

Bradford Council is changing how it deals with requests for disabled parking spaces on residential streets in Ilkley.

Currently, any objections to requests for bays have to go before a committee which can mean delays of up to two months .

Now the decision will be made by a councillor and won't have to go before a committee.

Police are appealing for information after a schoolgirl reported being approached by a man in Guiseley.

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The 10-year-old girl had been walking home from school at about 3.30pm yesterday (9/1) and was in Park Road, near to its junction with Bradford Road, when a man in a vehicle that was queuing with other cars at traffic lights spoke to her and asked her to get in. The girl ran off and the man drove away as the lights turned green.

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The vehicle involved was described as dark coloured and possibly a pick-up style truck. The man was described as white, with short dark hair, and was wearing a grey t-shirt.

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Detectives are carrying out enquiries to identify the man involved and would like to hear from anyone who was in the area and saw anything, particularly any other drivers who may have dashcam footage that could assist.

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Anyone with information is asked to contact Leeds District CID via 101 quoting crime reference 13200014992 or online via www.westyorkshire.police.uk/101livechat

The ShopAssist scheme, part of Ilkley Good Neighbours, will be hosting a drop-in event to bring some welcome cheer to the bleak month of January, whilst offering the chance to find out more about becoming a volunteer. 

The ability to purchase parking tickets to cover multiple days has now been introduced in Ilkley thanks to lobbying from Ilkley BID.

It’s pantomime time again! Oh yes it is! The Upstagers annual family pantomime almost upon us and this year will see the theatre group cast off to far away lands for the adventures of Sinbad at the King’s Hall in Ilkley between the 24 January and 1 February.

COUNCIL tax payers across Ilkley will fork out more from the spring.

Bradford Council plans to increase general council tax by 1.9 per cent – plus there will be a two per cent social care precept to help support the district’s stretched care system.

In the clubs first game of 2020 at Stacks Field on Saturday against with Carlisle Rugby Club, Ilkley Rubgy Club held a minutes silence was held to remember ex club President, Sir David Jones, who sadly passed on Saturday, 28 December, aged 76.

Ilkley Grammar School has opened a consultation to seek views on expanding the Priority 2 catchment area and for amending the over-subscription criteria for admissions for Post-16.

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The proposed changes involve extending the school’s Priority 2 boundary to encompass the High Royds Estate in Menston, which is currently excluded.

Bradford Council is undertaking a public consultation to gain feedback which will help them consider how they can amend restrictions where improvements may be warranted.

Take part in the New Year tradition between 10am and 5pm, plunging is on a first come first served basis. Visitors must bring their swimming costumes and towels, a changing area is available (2 cubicles).

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There is no charge for plunging, however, participants can throw loose change into the bath, buy a certificate to mark the occasion and of course support the cafe via the purchase of hot snacks and drinks.

Conservation projects in Otley, Ilkley and Guiseley have received a boost following a £4,000 grant from Sovereign Health Care’s Community Programme.

Ilkley-based PR and social media agency Approach has reached a milestone birthday after achieving 18 years in business.

The Rotary Holly Ball took place on Saturday at the King’s Hall and Winter Garden in Ilkley.

The Station Plaza in Ilkley has come runner-up in the National Railway Heritage Awards for the refurbishment of the glazed car park canopy.

Ilkley musician Anthony Gray has had his new Christmas Carol “Go to the Child” shortlisted in the final of the BBC Radio 3 Carol Competition.

Ilkley Grammar School has joined forces with a the Skipton Academy (TSA) in a bid to open up fantastic opportunities for both schools and their students and staff.

A local Ilkley man is taking on the toughest climb of his life when he tackles the Peñon d'Ifach- also known as Calpe Rock, in a few weeks time.

After the huge success of ‘Zip the Pepper Pot’ in 2019, Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice is delighted to announce a new zip wire event in Ilkley for 2020. On Sunday 26 July, the charity is daring participants to climb the iconic ‘cow’!

The Yard has nominated ‘Outside the Box’ as it’s Christmas Charity this year and will host a month-long series of events and activities to raise money for the popular, Ilkley Community Enterprise and Café.

At a full council meeting on Monday 2 December, Ilkley Town Council passed a Climate Emergency Resolution.

The Ilkley Round Table Santa Float will be out in Addingam, Ilkley and Ben Rhydding from this Sunday.  

PCSOs Joanne Barrett and Lucy Broadbent have both received a District Chief Superintendent Commendation for their work in Ilkley.

This week Ilkley BID have launched their Christmas campaign ‘It’s An Ilkley Christmas’ to help boost local trade.

Nineteen charities took part in the Grand Charity Christmas Fayre on Saturday morning at the Clarke Foley Centre in Ilkley. 

Tickets for the 2020 Ilkley Beer Festival & Thirsty Thursday Gin Session, will go on sale on Saturday, December 7.

Places go on general sale goes live from 8am on Sunday 1 December. 

Verbeia Spa & Fitness will fully open soon at The Craiglands Hotel on Cowpasture Road in Ilkley, named after the river goddess, Verbeia.

The Ultimate Tribute to Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra is coming to the King’s Hall in Ilkley on Friday 21 February 2020.

A parking survey organised by Ilkley BID closed last Friday and attracted approximately 1500 responses.  

Ghyll Royd School has ranked as the 9th top Independent School in the United Kingdom according to results published by the Department for Education.

Mortens of Ilkley will once again be supporting Outside The Box with the sales of its locally grown Christmas Trees.

​Churches Together in Ilkley (CTI) will be hosting a Hustings meeting on Monday 2 December prior to this year's General Election.

All six candidates in the Ilkley and Keighley constituancy have been invited to answer questions at the meeting that will be held at All Saints Church, Ilkley at 7.30pm.

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The Yorkshire Party - Mark Barton; Liberal Democrat - Tom Franks; Labour - John Grogan; The Brexit Party - Waqas Khan; Conservative - Robbie Moore; Social Democratic Party - Matthew Rose

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Questions can be emailed to hustings@benrhydding.co.uk or be brought on the night by 7.15pm.

Crowds were treated to an impressive display by Ilkley Gymnastics Club and performances from West Yorkshire Rock Choir and Performance Drama School before the 5pm switch on.

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Hosted by Nick Hancock from Stray FM, Santa was joined by Ilkley Mayor, Cllr Mark Stidworthy, and Isabel Ashman, Ilkley Town Crier.

Early in the afternoon, visitors to the market around the bandstand enjoys seasonal music from The Bradford Concert Band and Guiseley Brass Band.

An Ilkley law firm is continuing to expand in the town with the appointment of senior solicitor, Jennifer Bateman.

Ilkley will begin celebrating the festive season when Father Christmas turns on the town’s Christmas lights outside Christchurch at 5pm on Saturday, where an afternoon of music and entertainment by local groups will take place.

For the past 3 years, Ilkley Baptist Church on Kings Road have hosted a Christmas Day Lunch for those alone on Christmas Day, or unable to cook, or can’t afford the expense of a traditional Christmas meal.

Councillor Alex Ross Shaw, Highways lead on Bradford Council, has announced that residents in Zone D of the Ilkley parking scheme will be able to park in the Wharfe View Road and Railway Road car parks overnight, while the council consider the longer term rules around the special worker permits.

The Friends of Ilkley Moor held a well-attended social evening in Booth's cafe last Friday.

Ilkley Playhouse is holding an open evening on Wednesday 27 November between 7pm and 9pm to showcase all the volunteering opportunities on offer.

Last Friday saw the final of five, public, ‘Prepared To Save A Life’ demonstrations given to the residents and businesses of Ilkley.

Residents will need to download the replacement app from either the Google Play Store or Apple App Store as this is not simply an update to the existing app. People who still have the old Bradford Council app should delete it as it will no longer work.

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The replacement app offers more flexibility with its alerts about bin days, job vacancies, school closures and access to key council service information.

David Butterfield, past Chairman of Optident LTD in Ilkley won the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Dentistry’ award at the ‘Industry Awards 19’ in London.

After over 20 years, Sylvia's Rips and Zips closed its doors for the final time on Saturday.

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Sylvia and daughter Donna, who have closed the shop due to rising overhead costs, would like to pass on this message: 'we would like to thank all our customers old and new for all the support , lovely messages and gifts ..its certainly been a very emotional day today as we close our doors ... but were hoping our customers will open their doors to us as we continue to offer our repairs and alterations by collection and delivery basis only. Thank you all again for the last 23 years.'

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They can be contacted on 07754595938 for the delivery/collection service.

Bradford Council has started a consultation that will shape the future of the district’s library service.

Cuts of £1.05 million to the library service budget will be implements in 2020/21 and now all residents are encouraged to complete a survey – whether they use a library all the time or not at all.

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Supporting profile documents on the council website show Ilkley Library had 101,552 visits costing £1.60 a visit in 2018/19 - down from 2017/18 when there were 145,191 visits costing £1.18 a visit.

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​There is a drop in session at Ilkley library on Saturday 23 November between 10am to 11.30am.  The engagement survey will close on Friday 20 December.

More than a year since he was the first ever headline act at Moor Laughs Comedy Club at the Ilkley Vaults Bobby Mair returns with a brand-new act this Sunday.

At Ilkley’s Remembrance Service on Sunday £1326.61 was raised through the collection, donations will go directly to the Royal British Legion and will help provide financial, social and emotional support to both veterans and serving members of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants

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Meanwhile on Saturday, members of the Rotary Club raised £1767.95 on The Grove and at Tesco for the Poppy appeal.

A new team member has joined the staff in the Community Action, Ilkley Office. Lorraine Greenald has taken up post as Volunteer Development Worker, a 12 month post funded by Ilkley Town Council.

This week Ilkley Town Council launched their statutory public consultation on the Ilkley Neighbourhood Development Plan (INDP).

Remembrance services are being held on Sunday, 10 November, to commemorate those who lost their lives or were injured in conflicts around the world.

Burley-in-Wharfedale

9.45am Service at St Mary's Church, Corn Mill Lane Burley-in-Wharfedale. 11am Act of Remembrance and laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph.

Addingham

10.30am Service at St Peter's Church, Church Street, Addingham. 11.45am Parade from St Peter's Church to the War Memorial, Main Street (by Memorial Hall). Wreath laying ceremony

Ilkley

2.40pm Assemble at Whitton Croft Road (directly behind the Town Hall). 2.50pm Parade marches left onto Chantry Drive, left onto Station Road and straight onto The Grove. 3pm Remembrance service and wreath laying ceremony in the Memorial Gardens.

Father Christmas will pay Ilkley an early visit this year when he comes to switch on the Christmas lights on Saturday November 23 and start the festive countdown.

The Friends of Ilkley Moor will be holding a drop-in social for members and other interested people at Booths’ Café on Friday 15th November from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.

Due to industrial action Ilkley library will be closed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week - 5-7 November.

It's part of 14 days of strike action this autumn over cuts to library and museum services by Bradford Council which could see funding axed by 65 per cent.

West Yorkshire Police are now able to confirm that a fire in Ilkley today (Thursday) has sadly proved fatal.

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An 89-year-old woman died in the fire at an address in Cowpasture Road, which police were called to at 8.37am. Her family have been informed.

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Enquiries are continuing with the fire service to establish the circumstances of the blaze.

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Road closures are currently on and are likely to remain in place until later this afternoon.

An anonymous Ilkley commuter survey by local Councillors, Ilkley BID and MP John Grogan is being conduced to assess whether there is a likely demand for the return of a hoppa bus service to connect residential areas of Ilkley with the railway station. This would coincide with peak train times to and from Leeds and Bradford.

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Until 2016 there was a bus service between Hebers Ghyll and Ilkley Town Centre, as well as a circular service in Ben Rhydding. These services were integrated into the 962 Otley-Ilkley circular service, which does not begin until after 9am and is targeted primarily at shoppers.

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Please note that this is for Ilkley residents currently working or studying during the week.

Booths got a taste of the Ilkley’s got Heart Prepared to Save a Life Campaign last week, hosting a live First Aid demonstration.

Running until the end of November, the campaign is almost half way to reaching the 1000 target of registered Ilkley lifesavers who have completed the FREE online, ‘Prepared to Save a Life’ course at www.ilkleysgotheart.co.uk

Further live demonstrations will take place this Friday (1 Nov) at 10.30am in the town centre outside Hush & Avanti with another demonstration on 8 November at The Clarke Foley Centre. 

At a meeting next week, Bradford Council’s Executive will be asked to approve a £460,000 plan to replace the pool tank at Ilkley Lido for the first time since the pool was built in 1935.

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Explaining the need for the work to Ilkley Lido, the report says: “Since the Lido’s opening in 1935, the pool tank has never been replaced and the objective of this project is to replace the original concrete pool tank lining and screed that has been in situ for 84 years.

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“When complete it will remove the costly repairs year on year and reduce the amount of Council resources it takes to make the lido fit for purpose.”

The Ilkley BID are calling for all town centre businesses, residents and visitors to complete a new survey to gather data on the impact of the new parking scheme.

Organised by Climate Action Ilkley and Ilkley U3A, an event to discuss electric cars will take place on 13 November between 7.15 and 9.15pm at the Clarke Foley Centre

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A panel of 5 will talk for 10 minutes each about running an electric car in Ilkley followed by questions and answers.  The panel includes Bradford Council’s Low Carbon Manager, an Ilkley Councillor, a Transport Consultant,  a resident who already owns an electric car and a Huddersfield University lecturer on “Are electric cars the answer?" 

The event is open to all.  A £2 donation at the door is requested to pay for the room. To register please go to ClimateActionIlkley.org

Three Ilkley-based artists are dusting down older pieces ready for an exhibition with a difference.

Diners will be able to get £5 off their next meal at Ilkley’s Bistrot Pierre thanks to its new and improved loyalty app: ‘Club Bistrot Pierre’.

Ilkley's MP John Grogan says he will make the "strongest possible representations" for the town to keep its professionally staffed library.

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And the town's councillors have also said they will fight to save Ilkley Library from closure in the face of cuts to the libraries and museums service by Bradford Council.

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It comes as 14 days of strike action by library and museum staff across the district in the battle against the cuts began this week. The Unite union, which represents around 50 employees in the service, is spearheading the action – which started with a two-day walkout on Monday and Tuesday, resulting in the closure of Ilkley Library.

Ilkley Clean River Group’s application for Bathing Water Status for the River Wharfe has gone to Defra.

Announcing the news on their Facebook page, the group has said it is with the support of Ilkley Town Council, Ilkley MP John Grogan and Bradford Council.

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They also thanked all the volunteers who counted, tested, and filled in the survey. 

Only beers made in the town will be sold at next month’s inaugural Ilkley Beer Week (10-16 Nov), where events will benefit the Olicanian Cricket Club fund, whose pavilion was torched by arsonists in August.

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The week will mark the tenth anniversary of Ilkley Brewery, which is based on Ashlands Road, whilst The Flying Duck public house on Church Street, which is also home to Wharfedale Brewery, is celebrating its sixth birthday.

Dates have been confirmed for the 2020 Beer Festival; Friday 7 and Saturday 8 February 2020.

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Tickets will be initially on sale from the Kings Hall, Ilkley, on Saturday 7 December between 09.30 - 11.30am and then online thereafter.

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The team are working hard on the setup for the 2020 event, including the a fantastic selection of beer and live music.

The Ilkley’s Got Heart Campaign – Prepared To Save a Life launched last week, the aim is to reach 1000 registered Ilkley lifesavers who have completed free online course.

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Following a first aid demonstration at Tesco on Saturday, more are planned, including at Booths on Friday.

Real Food Ilkley is on the voting list for Britain’s Favourite Market.

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Being small and relatively new, the Real Food team would really appreciate your vote, just follow the link: https://nabma.com/vote-for-britains-favourite-market

The Friends of Ilkley Riverside Parks have had a busy few months improving 'your parks'.

Due to industrial action, Ilkley library will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, 21 and 22 October.

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The action over low pay and funding cuts are the first 2 of 14 days of strike action planned this autumn.

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Members of the union Unite are protesting against the council’s plans to cut its museums and libraries budget by 65%, which they warn will make the service unsustainable, as well as resulting in redundancies, pay cuts and the erosion of employment conditions for staff.

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Further strikes are scheduled next month, and a week-long walkout is planned the run-up to Christmas.

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Ilkley author, Joe Varley, has released his new children’s book ‘Bruno's Big Day Out’.

New fun children's bins are coming to the playground area of the Riverside Memorial Gardens.

Ilkley Town Council is seeking opinions from residents on the new parking scheme, in order to represent these opinions to Bradford Council.  The town council are keen to hear views on ways in which the scheme could be made to work better for residents and all others who use the Town Centre.

To date, there has been a good deal of critical opinion, so they are very keen to also hear from those for whom the scheme has been an improvement.

Please submit your views via email parkingsurvey@towncouncil.ilkley.org or use the paper form available at Ilkley Visitor Information Centre in the library - by 31 October.

When and where are the displays this year?

A campaign to make Ilkley the first, official, place in the UK to become a ‘Town of Lifesavers’ was launched at La Stazione in Ilkley station on Tuesday 15 October - the first 'Ilkley's Got Heart' demonstration covered CPR, with local Paula Colman from PACO

Ilkley Round Table are now preparing for the 2020 Ilkley Half Marathon, and as part of these preparations Round Table have applied for a premises license to hold the next event and the organising committee are holding a public drop-in session at The Wheatley Arms, Ben Rhydding on 19 th  November between 17:00 – 19:00.

Ilkley’s spectacular Christmas Tree Festival returns for the second year at St Margaret’s Church, Queen’s Road, on 21st, 22nd, and 23rd November. 

Augustinerkantorei, an acclaimed 110-person strong choir from Erfurt, Germany, is visiting West Yorkshire for a concert tour in October.

Ghyll Royd School and Pre-School in Burley-in-Wharfedale were finalists in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2019 and has been ranked as the top small school in the North of England in a celebration of the Independent Schools sector.

Teams are needed to get their thinking caps on and take part in the annual Rotary Club of Ilkley Charity Business Quiz Night.

The quiz will take place on Thursday, 21 November, at Ilkley Rugby Club from 7pm sponsored by Ison Harrison Solicitors. 

Teams of four are required to show off their general knowledge and compete for The Andrew Hartley Cup,

Tickets are £15 per person which includes supper, please register by emailing David Shaw david.a.shaw25@btinternet.com  payment can be made in advance or on the evening.

An appeal has also been made for raffle prizes, if your business can donate something please email David.

Bradford Council have announced it intends to start charging for car parking at Ilkley Pool and Lido from Spring next year.

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In 2018 the council's executive approved plans to introduce the parking charges saying they were needed to offset the effect of Government grant cuts and provide funding to maintain council car parks, however they have delayed implementing them until now.

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The charging period will be 8am to 6pm from Monday to Sunday and will cost £1 for up to 2 hours, £2 for up to 4 hours and £3 for over 4 hours.

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​A refund scheme, similar to Shipley Pool car park, will be introduced for people using the pool and lido. A number of parking permits will be issued to Olicana Cricket Club and All Saints Pre-School Nursery to facilitate operation of the club and business.

Ilkley Fairtrade Group is celebrating Fairtrade’s 25th birthday this October with a range of activities.

Celebrating The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning in Ilkley this year were over 60 businesses in the town.

Friends of Ilkley Moor September events included a heritage walk on Ilkley Moor, ‘Across Crawshaw Moss and Neolithic Sites’ and a walk to discover the bats of the moor.

A new committee of Ilkley Business Forum has been announced this week.

Chairman: David Shaw MBE Investment, Pension & Fundraising Consultant

Secretary: Liz Williams from Eaton Solicitors.

Treasurer: Julia forester from Tax Assist

Communications Officers: Alan Carmichael from Capricorn Photography & David Lowe from Utility Warehouse.

The next meeting is at Audley Clevedon in Ben Rhydding on Wednesday, 9th October at 5.45pm. The main speaker will be Andy Hartley of The Alternative Board: an interactive session on group problem solving,

For non-members it is £5 on the door, there will be light refreshments.

Bill Horsey, an Ilkley architect has offered to design Olicanian Cricket Club’s new pavilion for free. 

Get ready for the spookiest night of the year with The Manor House! Spread some mischief on Saturday 26 October between 11am and 4pm.

Last week saw the paved areas in the majority of the town centre professionally cleaned, funded by Ilkley BID (Business Improvement District).

Last year the girls walked from Nell Bank to Ilkley Moor and back making it a circular trip of around 10 Kilometres. The walk raised £500 for Pudsey!

Ally Foster, the leader of the 5th Ilkley Unit has organised another walk to take place on Saturday 12 October after a sleepover at Nell Bank.  This year 54 girls and 11 adults will take part, so they should make quite an impression up on the moor.

The girls will be raising money for Children in Need via sponsorship forms and a JustGiving page.

Pupils and teachers at Ghyll Royd School and Pre-School are celebrating the news that their school is now a finalist in the Independent Schools of the Year awards.

Olicanian Cricket Club has been supported in its hour of need by players from across the Airedale and Wharfedale League and local residents.

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Players from several clubs have figured in a fundraising match played at Burley Cricket Club. The event raised £1,600 for Olicanian’s fund to rebuild the club’s pavilion destroyed by arsonists last month.

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Meanwhile, the landlord of The Station pub in Ilkley has raised £519 for the cricket club in barely three weeks. Mark Russell placed a collection box on the bar and the cash rolled in.

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And elsewhere several year five pupils from Ben Rhydding Primary School raised £180.80 for Olicanian Cricket Club when they staged “The Great Oli’s Bake-off”.

Richard and Adam who wowed the nation with their extraordinary harmonies on Britain’s Got Talent in 2013 bring their Greatest Songmen Tour to Ilkley on Thursday 14 November.

Congratulations to Ilkley Swimming and Waterpolo Club who came first in the Bradford Dolphin Friendship Gala on Saturday.

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The competition at Shipley swimming pool saw a number of local teams in age groups 10 and under, 12 and under and 14 and under, both girls and boys, compete in relays. back, breast, medley and free plus cannon.

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The members all live in Ilkley and the surrounding area and are coached by senior coach Christopher Kitson and volunteers coaches Peter Kitson and Ellen Winters. 

Saturday (September 21) saw another bumper Recycling Day for Ilkley Wharfedale Rotary Club as residents flooded the Club with donations of bicycles, sewing machines, tools and mobility aids, spectacles and backpacks.

Ilkley resident and author, Mark Hunnebell, has just published his latest book, Secret Ilkley, which goes behind the façades of the familiar to discover the lesser-known aspects of the town's long and illustrious past.

A blaze in May on Ilkley Moor was most likely started by a person throwing lit matches on the moor.

Plans to demolish a grand building in the Conservation area on Kings Road in Ilkley and build a block of apartments in its place have been approved by Bradford Council planners.

The plans to build 10 apartments on the site had attracted a number of objections. Ilkley Civic Society described the design as a “missed opportunity” to complement listed Heathcote next door – one of just 23 Grade I listed buildings in the district.

Ilkley Literature Festival has a packed programme of events aimed at young people aged 12 to 18 from Friday 4 to Sunday 20 October.

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From meeting acclaimed authors, taking part in creative writing workshops or becoming a journalist for the day, this age group can also join workshops to learn how to Make a Podcast in a Day, Scriptwriting and Improvised Poetry and Music.

Three weeks after their pavilion was burnt to the ground, Olicanian Cricket Club (OCC) have been promoted to the top flight of the Airedale and Wharfedale Senior League for the first time in their 97-year history.

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And on Saturday Burley Cricket Club  will host a fundraiser for OCC, two Yorkshire cricketers and players from across the Airedale and Wharfedale Senior League will come together,  The game starts at 1pm with the bar open all day.  After the game there will be a BBQ and DJ.

Last week saw over 75 businesses attend the launch night for the Ilkley Business Awards 2020.

Clare Balding, Andy Stanton, Conn Iggulden and Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock headline Ilkley Literature Festival’s Children’s Festival.

Ilkley photographer Rich Bunce's 'Habitat' category-winning picture in this year's British Wildlife Photography Awards,

Ilkley Arts and local artists are teaming up with Nell Bank, Outdoor Education Centre on Denton Road, Ilkley to add colour to its next Open Weekend on 21/22nd September.

An Ilkley-based legal team is celebrating one year since expanding to Ilkley by taking part in Macmillan Cancer Support’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

Improvement works to the flower beds outside the Station Plaza in Ilkley have been stopped by Bradford Council due to the lack of planning permission.

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Roger Yaxley, a member of Ilkley Wharfedale Rotary Club, put out an appeal for volunteers in June via the Gazette, commenting on “the sorry state” of the flower beds near the Station Plaza, and work began two weeks ago.

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Mr Yaxley told the Gazette he talked at length with Bradford Council before commencing work and had secured permission for the raised flower beds.

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Ilkley’s MP John Grogan has stepped in to try and broker a way forward.

After 15 years at the helm of the restaurant, Simon and Rena are looking to take a step back and have instructed specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co , to bring The Box Tree, together with ‘Box Tree Events’ outside catering business in Ilkley to the market.

Police are investigating a report of a robbery at the Co-op store in Bolton Bridge Road, Ilkley at about 10.15pm on Saturday.

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The Gazette is reporting two suspects, armed with a knife and a baseball bat, entered the store and took was is believed a quantity of cash. No members of staff were physically injured in the incident.

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Anyone with information is asked to contact Bradford District CID on 101 or use the report on the West Yorkshire Police website. The crime ref13190459620

Real Food Ilkley held its first market on The Grove last Sunday (1 September). Amid glorious sunshine in the morning and rain showers in the afternoon, the market welcomed hundreds of customers, with a high percentage of stalls sold out way before closing time.

There will be no cars on the Grove for the afternoon of Sunday 22 September.  Residents and visitors alike are urged to join in to celebrate World Car Free day.  Events take place internationally and are designed to give motorists an idea of their locality with fewer cars.

Primal Cut, Burley in Wharfedale based artisan sausage makers are delighted to announce they are a finalist in the "Farm to Fork" category in the Future Food Awards 2019, making into the final 5 from almost 400.

Ilkley based Anti-Money Laundering (AML) firm SmartSearch is officially one of the fastest-growing tech companies in Britain after being named in the Sunday Times Tech Track 100.

In a bid to increase food donations the Ilkley Food Bank is delighted that the Co-op on Bolton Bridge Road, Ilkley, has joined existing donation points at Booths and Tesco.

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Ilkley food bank pack and prepare over 50 bags of food per week which is regularly distributed to people through Christchurch on The Grove.

Northern has today launched its brand new trains coming into operation on Monday 9 September for customers in Bradford, Skipton and Ilkley.

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The new trains feature free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, at-seat power and customer information/media screens with real-time information. They are also more spacious for customers and are fully accessible with spaces for wheel chairs and cycles.

The launch of the Ilkley Business Awards 2020 is to be held at The Craiglands Hotel on Wednesday 11th September from 5.45pm to 7.30pm. The event is free to attend and open to anyone with a business in LS29 who would like to find out about entering.

A week on from the devastating fire that ripped through their pavilion, Olicanian cricket club returned to action at the weekend with a win.

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​The club’s timber pavilion was destroyed by fire in the early hours of Sunday, August 25. West Yorkshire Police and the fire service have confirmed arson as the cause. No arrests have yet been made.

Club officials have praised the public for their response since the arson attack and a JustGiving page setup has raised over £10,000, to donate please visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/olicaniancc

On Saturday night, members of the Rotary made a collection for the Oli's Pavilion Appeal at the Concert On The Grove, and raised £500 in the brief 15 minute interval.

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See a video update on Facebook here.

Staff at All Saints Pre School have issued a message thanking everyone for their help and support following last weeks awful fire and appealed for donations to replace the equipment lost.

The winners of the annual Ilkley In Bloom competition have been announced with judges once again commenting on the standard of entries and have welcomed a number of new entrants.

The Macmillan Mobile Information and Support Service (MISS) Bus is to visit Ilkley on Wednesday 11th September and will be parked in the South Hawksworth Street Car Park between 9am and 3pm. 

This Sunday (1 September) sees Real Food Ilkley relocate to the prestigious address of The Grove in Ilkley.

The Ilkley Business Improvement District, Ilkley BID Ltd, has been announced as the headline sponsor of the Ilkley Business Awards 2020.

The pavilion at Olicanian Cricket Club on Denton Road has been totally destroyed by fire early Sunday morning.  The building is also the home of All Saints' Pre-School.

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West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue were called at 03:10 and report 4 appliances attended the incident from Otley, Rawdon, Keighley & Shipley along with Fire Investigation officer. Crews used 5 large jets and 2 hose reels to extingush the fire.

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The police are treating it as arson, anyone with information is asked to phone 101 quoting log 0554 of today’s date (25/08/19).

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A crowdfunding page has been setup to help rebuild the pavilion: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/olicaniancc

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(Photo credit: Barry Oldham)

Ilkley Grammar School is this week celebrating another outstanding set of GCSE results, further building on the excellent gains made in recent years since the introduction of the harder new style GCSEs.

An arsonist who set fire to Ilkley Moor as flames already raged has been locked up for 27 months.

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Mohammed Zulkifl , 20, who previously pleaded guilty to arson, was at Bradford Crown Court today for sentencing.

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The court heard emergency services were already stretched tackling two separate seats of wildfires on the tinder dry Ilkley Moor when Zulkifl was seen by council wardens setting fire to the grass with a cigarette at around 8pm on April 20.

Booths has launched an initiative encouraging customers to bring their own clean, lidded reusable containers to purchase fresh meat and fish from their counters.

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“We’re constantly striving to become a more environmentally friendly retailer,” said Booths brand and innovations manager Matt Bruno.

“Enabling our customers to bring their own clean, lidded containers to purchase fresh meat and fish from our counters is a natural progression towards becoming more sustainable.” 
 

The retailer is also changing pre-packed options to include less plastic and more recyclable materials. It is removing plastic bottles from its café, switching over to glass bottles and cans, and is removing all plastic cutlery for its takeaway counter products and Booths-branded pre-packaged food-to-go options.

In a letter hand delivered this week, Councillor Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley) has written to Bradford Council's Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, to spell out her grave concerns about the detrimental effect the car parking scheme is having on the lives of Ilkley residents and businesses - appealing to take action now to alleviate the "severe upset" the scheme is causing.