Keighley out to lure tourists

Keighley's Single Regeneration Budget board has agreed to fund the study planned by a group led by the Keighley-based Molly Daley Partnership.

In a brief to the SRB board, the group says it aims to promote the town regionally and nationally, to attract and keep new tourists and to throw the centre open for use by business and for education.

An SRB spokesman said: "The board agreed to help by financing the feasibility study. It is not an open cheque and they must answer a number of questions raised by the board."

Nobody was available to comment from the Molly Daley Partnership, but the T&A understands that two buildings have been mentioned as possible sites - Dalton Mills and a former engineering works in Ingrow, Keighley.

The proposal has been welcomed by Graham Mitchell of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, which has also benefited from SRB cash to help improve the heritage line's Keighley station.

"We would be very interested in talking to Molly Daley to see exactly what she has in mind," said Mr Mitchell.

"The centre could act as a focus. The area already has two outstanding tourist attractions in the railway and the Bronte Parsonage Museum in Haworth, and two other excellent attractions at East Riddlesden Hall and Cliffe Castle museum."

He said the Keighley bus museum would also benefit from such a scheme.

The Keighley Bus Museum Trust, backed by the T&A Save Our Classic Buses Appeal, has bought nine vehicles which have strong local links, including a 1969 trolley bus.

The campaign to save the buses and keep them in this area was launched in April this year when the Transperience museum in Bradford went into administration. The museum trust received financial help from the Heritage Lottery, Bradford Council and the Science Museum.

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