A row has broken out over the future of a community cafe after it was announced its premises are to be taken over by a prayer group.

The Oasis cafe, which offers work experience to adults with learning difficulties in Ilkley, has been told its six-month lease will not be renewed when it expires next April.

Instead the cafe, which is currently based in a building owned by All Saints’ Church in Ilkley, is to be taken over by national prayer group Sanctuary, which plans to hold prayer meetings and hymn singing in the premises.

Cafe user Karen Goodman, who has four children, three of whom have Down Syndrome, said: “I think what is happening now gives Christianity a bad name.”

Rev Stuart Jenkins, minister of Ilkley Baptist Church and chairman of CTI2000, which runs the cafe, said the move leaves the future of the cafe in doubt.

He said: “We have been asked to move out next year. We have experienced some difficulty finding alternative premises we can afford in central Ilkley.”

The cafe opened in 2000 and works with Bradford College to provide work experience to adults with learning difficulties. It closed for a year when the college could no longer provide funding, but reopened in September for two days a week after the college resumed its support.

Mr Jenkins said CTI2000 had been offered the use of Church House by All Saints’, but the church hall didn’t have a full kitchen and wasn’t suitable.

“The good thing about The Oasis is that it is a proper cafe,” he said. “For the people with learning difficulties who work there, it is like a real job, not a church project.”

John Thirlwell, whose 19-year-old son Euan Evans-Thirlwell has worked at the cafe, said: “This is going to make a big difference to people with a learning disability who are trying to get work experience. If the cafe goes, there are very few alternatives around, and Ilkley will lose a wonderful and valuable resource.”

Rev Lee Townend, priest in charge of All Saints, said the lease had been offered to Sanctuary when the cafe closed down and wasn’t expected to reopen.

He said: “As an act of goodwill, kindness and solidarity with the project we have offered them alternative accommodation in Church House on a no-rent basis and also offered them a significant sum of money to upgrade the kitchen to a standard they would like. We are doing everything we can to ensure the project can continue.”

Liz Baddaley, co-founder of Sanctuary, said an it was “unfortunate” but the group, which moved to Yorkshire from Hertfordshire 18 months ago, still plans to take over the site.