FEARS are growing that Ilkley could be losing essential tourist trade to rival towns following the closure of another hotel.

The Grove Hotel, in the town centre, was sold to property developers over the weekend - and follows in the wake of the closure of the Wheatley, the Moorview, and Greystones.

The sale has set alarm bells ringing among Ilkley's business and tourism community, as the owner of Westwood Lodge Hotel, Tim Edwards, explained.

He said: "You might think I'd be glad in that it's one less competitor for us in the local hotel or self-catering trade, but I'm seriously worried at the decline in the number of rooms and bed spaces in Ilkley.

"We've had the Wheatley, Moorview, Greystones and now The Grove, I think just about half of Ilkley's hotels seem to have closed down over the last year and a half or so, and they seem to all be going for housing.

"If this keeps happening Ilkley is just going to end up as a dormitory, commuter town with no overnight guests.

"People will end up having to stay in Skipton or Harrogate instead and that will mean a big loss for the businesses and restaurants of Ilkley."

The Grove Hotel's manager, Lynne Ratcliffe, has run the business for three years but says the time had come to move on.

She said: "The hotel's been up for sale for quite a few months now and we sold it to property developers at the weekend.

"It was a personal decision to move on and go and do something different with our lives. It's been a good venture here and it's a shame it's going to be a property development because it's been a superb hotel, but it's just one of those things."

Planning permission for change of use for The Grove, from a hotel to three residential flats, was actually granted back in 2000.

Ilkley planning officer Martyn Burke said that decision would still apply now. "Approval is valid for five years," he said.

Ilkley Parish Council's chairman of the Tourism Committee, Mike Gibbons, said he regretted the development and feared it marked another blow for the town's tourism industry. "We have already had the likes of the Wheatley closing and this is another facility lost to the town, which is sad." he said.

"I agree that there is a possibility that with the reduction in the numbers of beds available, visitors may need to seek accommodation elsewhere. This would be very regrettable as I'm sure the local shops and restaurants, particularly in the evening, benefit from some visitors staying over.

"There's an unfortunate trend in hotels being sold for development. Obviously, there's a lack of building space in town and therefore developers are keen to acquire any available site.

"However, each planning application must be looked at carefully in terms of planning, desirability, parking and loss to the community.

He added that tourists already struggled with a shortage of parking.

l A campaign to save The Wheatley Hotel is ongoing.