ILKLEY'S centre for the over-50s has a new man at its helm - and he's determined to breathe fresh life into the place.

Dr Christopher Molander, 62, newly appointed chairman of the Clarke Foley Centre's board of trustees, says he intends to make plenty of changes at the popular meeting place on Cunliffe Road.

"The big issue is that since it was founded in the 1960s there's been a huge change in the client base at the centre," he said. "They live fitter, longer lives, their standard of living has improved and their expectations of and needs from a place like the Clarke Foley have changed.

"Unless the centre reorganises itself it's going to be less and less appealing to the people for whom it was set up."

Dr Molander, of Wheatley Road, said he had already begun making progress. "We've appointed a manager rather than relying on volunteers and we've seen a big increase in the number of activities available.

"We have book fairs and antique fairs now. There's also been the refurbishment of the coffee bar and we've improved the outside image of the place."

The next project for the centre, he said, would be a restructuring of the building.

"We need to look at the number and size of the rooms with a view to having a large number of small rooms to meet the needs of the various groups which use them. It's an ongoing thing."