TOURISM in Ilkley has been hit hard by the foot and mouth crisis, with hotels and pubs reporting a slump in business.

With Ilkley Moor and the surrounding countryside a no-go area, the walkers who usually converge on the town are nowhere to be seen.

Colin Clarkson, owner of Rombalds Hotel, on Wells Road, said many people were cancelling trips to the town. He said: "People who had booked on walking holidays have cancelled. They hope to come again but that is obviously not helping us right now. With the moor being closed and our situation close to the moor, the number of people calling in for morning coffees, afternoon teas and lunches has declined and there has been a definite decline in occupancy."

Paul Spedding, who runs the Cow and Calf pub and hotel on the moor, said: "It's been slow kicking in. We are holding our own during the week but weekends are hitting us.

"On a nice Saturday and Sunday afternoon there is no-one coming in. That's going to have a knock-on effect with part-time staff. We also have 16 rooms and hardly any reservations."

But David Howcroft, owner of Wells Caf, on Wells Road, said business was still booming.

"There's not been as many walkers about because they are not allowed up this road," he said. "But we had fantastic numbers on Saturday and Sunday.

"Bacon has doubled in price and steak and chicken has gone up by 25 per cent. The problem is just having to put the price of bacon up really."

Tim Edwards, of Westwood Lodge, said the phone had not stopped ringing at his hotel and conference centre on Wells Road.

"But only with regular guests cancelling holiday plans, having learnt that Ilkley Moor and the Dales are effectively closed," he said. "Tourist bookings have been decimated overnight. Business meetings custom is also severely affected."

And Mr Edwards criticised Bradford Council for keeping walkers off the moor but allowing sheep and vehicles to travel freely.

"What a farce!" he said. "The real risk of spreading foot and mouth comes from transport, not walkers.

"Hundreds of vehicles a day continue to drive quite legitimately along Wells Road, where sheep continue to wander, leaving their excrement for tyres to pick up. These cars then continue on their way to places like Bradford, easily leaving deposits on Hawksworth, Baildon and Bingley Moors, for completely different flocks of sheep to risk infection."

Mr Edwards said the council's actions would have no effect on the spread of foot and mouth, but could cripple local businesses. "They risk ruining small businesses fighting hard to keep Ilkley on the business and tourism map," he said.

David Wilson, of Clifton Road, Ilkley, also criticised the way sheep were allowed to wander about on the moor and the moor roads which were still open.

Mr Wilson, whose son is a sheep farmer in another county, said: "The moor is closed but there are sheep still walking along the road. That road should be disinfected or the sheep should be taken away.

"They might just as well open the moor to anyone - it is totally irresponsible. We are allowing cars which could have been anywhere to come into contact with livestock."

But a spokesman for Bradford Council said: "We follow Ministry of Agriculture guidelines on this."