TYCOON Richard Branson has been invited to open one of two "cybercafes" being set up in Skipton.

A cybercafe is an informal room full of computers on which visitors search (or surf) the World Wide Web for information or communicate globally via E-mail.

Until now Craveners wanting to "surf the net" publicly have had to travel as far away as Leeds, so some forward thinkers are filling the gap in the local market.

Skipton's YMCA is renovating a large room at its Keighley Road premises, which will be kitted out with several Internet PCs and a relaxation area.

And office services firm, Reception, intends to expand its current one-computer service to a full-blown High Street Internet cafe.

YMCA general secretary Julia Cuttriss-Steels said she was inspired after resident Mark Baker had to travel to Leeds to use the internet for his computer studies.

She said: "So we got some funding from the YMCA Movement Trust. City kids take this kind of service for granted so it's about time people in Craven got a look in."

Julia has also enlisted expert help in creating a Craven YMCA website, which should be on-line when the Cybercafe opens on October 22.

Burt and Fiona Parker, who run the Reception Surfing Station, are hoping to cater for a wide range of customers.

Burt said: "Early this summer we were letting tourists use our internet machine to E-mail their friends back home. Then we thought, 'hang on a minute, this could be part of our business'.

"So we are seeking ground floor accommodation and hopefully we should be able to open a Reception Cafe within 12 months."

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