Otley's famous rowing boats may be sunk without trace

Last year, the boats did not make their usual summer appearance because of the foot and mouth epidemic - amidst fears that everything should be done to discourage people from roaming from one part of the country to another.

But despite the lifting of those particular restrictions, this year the boats face a potentially far more serious and long-term threat - that of almost impossible health and safety restrictions.

With the traditional Easter start of boating at Otley long gone and summer just a few weeks away, Leeds City Council is only now advertising for tenders from 'experienced and suitably equipped operators for the provision of boating at Otley Wharfemeadows Park."

Whoever takes on the running of the boats will firstly have to have replied by yesterday's deadline.

Then, they will have to have a fleet of boats ready and waiting in the background - and presumably with nothing else planned for the summer.

But not only that, they will have to have a full-time, fully qualified lifeguard and a supply of lifejackets - at a cost of anything from £100 - for all passengers.

Presumably, in our increasingly litigious society, the council has become so terrified of being sued that in seeking to cover all eventualities it has blown a hugely popular Otley pastime right out of the water.

For the thousands of people who visit the park every year, the pleasure boats are as much a part of the fun as the beautifully laid out gardens, the river, the parkside caf and the children's fun park.

The swimming pool and the bandstand have long gone, but the pleasure boats have until now remained a traditional part of the park - and one that has annually attracted people from far and wide.

It will be a sad day for Otley if the pleasure boats disappear from the river for ever. But bearing in mind the council is also struggling to find an operator to run the boats at Roundhay Park - where boats are actually owned by the council - the future for boating at Otley does not look good.

Wharfemeadows Park was officially opened in July, 1924, with the boats following on in 1927. Of the 134 acres of riverside land more than 15 acres was given by Major F H Fawkes of Farnley Hall with the rest leased to the council.

Heralded as a great boon to the town, the park provided one acre of land to every 40 of the population. The pleasure gardens included a bathing pool, with changing facilities, a paddling pool and sand pit for children and a bowling green and pavilion. It also featured three hard tennis courts, again with their own pavilion, and several clock golf courses.

The cost to the council, of buying land - from the owners of houses in Bridge Avenue - was £1,491 and the cost of laying it out £9,200. It was estimated that the land given by Major Fawkes was almost the equal of the entire cost of laying out the park.

Boats made their first appearance on the river in 1926 and were operated by brothers, Tom and John Pickles, who lived in Bridge Avenue.

Tom Pickles, who died in 1976, was a vice-president of the Chippendale Society who at the age of 81, and in the year he died, had a book published on the life of Chippendale.

Tom, who travelled across the country in his bid to prove the world famous cabinet maker was in fact born in Otley, was actually offered a genuine Chippendale chair by a former Menston woman who moved to Australia.

Eileen Wong sent Tom one of the three Chippendale chairs she had bought while on a world antiques shopping tour after reading about the author who did not actually own a piece of Chippendale furniture.

In the beginning, pleasure boats at Wharfemeadows were not allowed on Sundays - despite the efforts of the Pickles brothers to persuade the Otley Urban District Council otherwise.

Then in 1932, it looked like their annual application for Sunday boating was going to get the go ahead. Described as an 'election issue', it was suggested that the councillors stand up and say just where they stood on Sunday boating - and let the good people of Otley decide.

The argument was that Sundays should be kept as a day of worship - and not suited to the pursuit of pleasure on the boats.

But John Pickles argued strongly that the weight of public opinion was behind him.

He said every Sunday people would ask to hire a boat and were incredulous when their requests were denied.

Boating took place on Sundays in Knaresborough, Golden Acre, Yeadon, Ilkley and Roundhay - with only Otley lagging behind.

In a forceful argument, Mr Pickles pointed out Sunday would be his busiest day and that unless the council relented, visitors would get fed up and go elsewhere.

In an effort to get round the problem, it was suggested that Sunday boating could take place on the west side of the bridge, while on the east side of the bridge there would be a 'pool of holy water' next to the mill and two cafes, which it was pointed out all ran on Sundays. Councillors pointed out that the park was for the people of Otley and that it was their views that were needed - and not the opinions of visitors.

It was argued that the thousands of visitors who came to the park presented the council with many problems, but if Otley wanted Sunday boating, then Otley would get it.

Even then, 70 years ago, the town suffered from congestion on the bridge as people flocked to the park, and Sunday boating would just add to that.

It was estimated 80 per cent of those using the boats were visitors, and then there were all those lining up on the bridge just to watch the 'performances' of the people in the boats.

Boating was described as a healthy pursuit, and not a Sunday game, akin to hiking. Those in favour argued it was old fashioned to fight Sunday boating and people had every right to do something healthy on that day.

But as far as the majority was concerned, boating was the thin end of the wedge, and if boating was allowed on Sundays - then there'd be 'games' going on all over the town.

It was going to be a few more years until boating was finally given the go ahead at Otley. When it did, it was welcomed by all the thousands of people who visited the park.

During the Second World war, it was feared the boats would be removed from the river - as the Home Office worried about boats being used by invaders. But the ever resourceful Pickles pointed out an invader would not be able to get very far in one of their boats and that they were chained up at night anyway.

Then, in 1992, disaster nearly struck when it was announced that the boating business had folded. Owner Stephen Smith, who lived in South Milford and had taken over from the Pickles in 1973, had been trying unsuccessfully to sell the business for two years and was finally been forced to give up because of ill health. For nine years, the Leeds school teacher had run the business part-time during holidays and weekends.

Leeds City Council stepped in and bought the boats and the boating hut. The then chairman of the council's recreation committee, Councillor Malcolm Bedford - now chairman of the western area planning panel - said it was important that Otley kept its main tourist attraction. Coun Bedford set the wheels in motion for the council to find alternative ways to run the pleasure boats and even suggested that the council might run it.

But that was not needed, and ten years ago this week, Otley man David Asquith bought the business - comprising a motor boat, six rowing boats and the boat hut, and took on the boating rights lease from Leeds City Council. Mr Asquith ran the boats until last year - and never put the prices up. Last year, he made the decision not to run the boats, because of foot and mouth, and this year he will not be putting in a tender.

So, it seems Otley boats are again facing the end of the road. But the difference between now and ten years ago is there is no body of councillors overseeing what goes on in the parks and leisure department - the area responsible for what goes on at Wharfemeadows.

Interestingly, a major part of the Otley Town Plan, shortly to be implemented, is tourism. Wharfe-meadows Park is definitely the Jewel in Otley's crown as far as visitors go - but without its boats? Something needs to be done, and quickly, before they are lost forever.