Ilkley should challenge strongly for the 'sponsorship in bloom' awards this year - much to the irritation of the town's tourist management committee.

For as more and more items and areas become sponsored committee secretary Miggy Bailey is worried the town is slowly being swamped by unsightly advertising.

She is unhappy with the proliferation of sponsored flower beds and litter bins and feels the signs are becoming an eyesore.

Mrs Bailey and her colleagues on the committee are worried about where the current trend for sponsorship will lead.

"We have sponsored flower beds at the moment, but you have to wonder where it will eventually spread to," she said. "Will we eventually have individual sponsorship plaques nailed to all the trees along The Grove?" she said.

The tourist management committee is worried that Ilkley's image will gradually be ruined if the sponsorship 'fad' continues.

Mrs Bailey said she was not opposed to major roundabouts being sponsored, but then they were not generally the focus for attention.

"I just think it is time we looked seriously at this issue. Do we really want our town plastered with this type of thing," she said.

Mrs Bailey said she would be interested to hear the thoughts of other Ilkley-based organisations committed to boosting the town's image and reputation.

Bob Tilley, chairman of Ilkley Civic Society, is also angry at a situation he describes as 'out of control.'

He said The Grove was now 'over-binned' and it was of concern that sponsored features were taking up so much space in the town's conservation area.

He said the situation with such advertising was over the top in Ilkley and in addition to flower beds and bins he pointed to a ticket machine in the town's central car park which boasted two wings for advertising.

Patricia Shankley, of the Ilkley in Bloom committee, said: "It's not a trend I would like to see continue."

She echoed Mr Tilley's concern about such items being placed in the Ilkley Conservation Area.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.