With only 11 months to go before the dawn of the 21st century, it looks like most major hotels across Bradford will not be staging any gala events to mark the Millennium.

Nearly all of the hotel bosses have not decided yet whether they will be open at all - and only one has been taking bookings for a special event.

Quality Victoria Hotel, opposite Bradford Crown Court, will be operating for bed and breakfasts only.

Manager Jean Pierre Noret said: "Opening is too much of a risk because we don't want entertainment or staff not turning up. We don't want to risk the reputation of the hotel. We have decided to play it safe."

Novotel, by the M606, had a gala evening last New Year's Eve with Scottish dancing and a disco. But for the Millennium celebration there will be a buffet until 10pm and the bar will stay open for residents.

Duty manager John Holroyd said: "It's a directive from head office.''

The Midland Hotel, in Bradford city centre, the Cedar Court Hotel in Rooley Lane, Bradford, The Park Hotel in Manningham, the Jarvis Bankfield Hotel in Bingley and the Marriot Hollings Hall in Baildon are all undecided.

The Stakis Hotel in the city centre, however, has more than 100 bookings already for its fun night with a buffet dinner and a Shirley Bassey tribute. Guests will be paying £99 per head or £149 if they want to stay the night.

Bradford Council's leisure committee chairman, Councillor Barry Thorne, said: "Bradford is no different from anywhere else.

"People are not sure what to do and people are not sure who does and doesn't want to work and what the pay's going to be like. It's quite unpredictable and with others scared of the Millennium Bug I think a lot will want to lock themselves inside."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.