The Mayor of Otley has been forced to host a Christmas fair in Ilkley this year because he says his home town doesn’t have a venue big enough for the event.

Councillor Nigel Francis plans to hold the festive extravaganza at Ilkley Kings Hall and Winter Gardens on Saturday, after failing to find a venue in Otley. The bumper event will conclude with a concert by 1970s pop group Showaddywaddy, whose frontman Dave Bartram will be retiring this year and has chosen the Christmas fair as the venue for his last ever performance with the band.

Coun Francis said: “I pledged to raised £20,000 for 20 different charities this year so I needed to organise something big. Otley just doesn’t have the space for that kind of event so we have come to the Ilkley Kings Hall and Winter Gardens, which is one of the most picturesque halls in the area.”