A CHILDREN'S centre, two pubs and a social club are the latest places to get extra protection from being lost to communities.

All four are to be added to the district's list of 'assets of community value', which protects them against being sold off without locals being told.

Listing a building as a community asset does not give community groups first refusal if it comes up for sale, but it does give them the time they need to prepare a bid to buy it.

At Shipley Area Committee, Menston Parish Council succeeded in its bid to list two pubs in the village, the Malt Shovel and the Menston Arms, as well as a social club, the Fairfax Club.

Councillor Dale Smith, who sits on the parish council, said while they had no concerns about the running of the pubs and club, there was a national trend of such places closing down and being lost to communities.

He said: "It's just a precautionary application. In many ways, I hope it's not needed."

He said they would now be concentrating their efforts on two more applications, to list a garage site, in Low Hall Road, and a parcel of land near the cemetery, in Buckle Lane.

These are expected to be considered in the coming months.

Meanwhile, the Silsden Singers succeeded in persuading Keighley Area Committee to list the Council-owned Silsden Youth Centre, where it is based, and an adjoining children's centre.

The Daisy Chain Children's Centre had been at risk of being downgraded to an unstaffed 'outreach centre' by Bradford Council in a cost-cutting plan that has now been put on ice.

Jonathan Crewdson, of the Silsden Singers, said: "It's fantastic news. It gives us a little bit of breathing space if the council does decide they want to dispose of the building, to come up with a 'plan b'."

Councillor Steve Pullen (Lab), who sits on Keighley Area Committee, said the community asset powers were "a good thing", but gave a note of caution, saying groups wanting to take over such buildings may not have the funds to maintain them.

In recent weeks, the under-threat Fagley Community Centre, a vacant housing office in Leeds Road, Thornbury and the Bradford Playhouse were all added to Bradford's list of community assets.

Other applications in the pipeline include bids to list Clayton Library, the King's Arms pub in Highgate, Bradford, and the Manor House museum in Ilkley.