Keighley Ukrainian Association is moving out of the historic building it has occupied for nearly 40 years.

The Mayfield Road site, pictured below, close to Devonshire Park, is being sold for development.

Association chairman Nick Lajszczuk says negotiations with an undisclosed buyer are well advanced and a deal should be completed soon.

The site is earmarked for housing, but the building - formerly Mayfield House - is likely to remain intact.

Mr Lajszczuk told us: "It is a very prominent residence and has quite a colourful history. Following the war it was used as a refugee hostel for women from Eastern Europe, and after we bought it in the 1960s part of the premises housed a Ukrainian school.

"Anything built on the site will be sympathetic with the house and will further enhance all the many other improvements planned in the Highfield and Devonshire Park area."

He says the association, which has around 44 active members, has been forced to sell-up because the four-storey building has become increasingly uneconomical to run.

In addition, a large proportion of Keighley's Ukrainian community is elderly and many members have difficulty getting to the premises. The association - whose roots date back 53 years - is now negotiating to buy a town-centre site.

"Initially there was some apprehension about moving from Mayfield Road because the house - which was bought entirely through donations within the Ukrainian community - has a lot of sentimental value," says Mr Lajszczuk.

"It has after all been our home since around 1963 and many members went to school there, but we have got to progress and the community is fully united behind the move. At our new premises we will still be able to carry out all our activities and the building will be much more accessible."

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