A Silsden restaurant is to be allowed to keep its mock-Georgian frontage. Bonaparte's fell foul of Bradford council planners who ruled the frontage was out of character with the rest of the town.

Planning officers claimed the window panes were "too square" and that brass swan-neck lights were out of keeping with the area. But the Kirkgate restaurant, whose treatment by Bradford council sparked public outrage, has won an appeal to the Department for the Environ-ment. Owner Neill Albone learned on Wednesday that the frontage can remain virtually unaltered.

The only condition is that the window frames should be darkened.

"I'm relieved and delighted," says Neill.

"It should never have got to this stage but I am pleased that common sense has eventually prevailed.

"The support we received from the public was absolutely wonderful - a petition in the restaurant was signed by 300 people within two days - and we would like to say a huge thank-you to everyone for their backing."

The Keighley News was swamped with letters in support of Bonaparte's after we highlighted the council ruling last November.

The restaurant, which had been converted from empty shop units, opened three months ago.

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