A veterans association may be forced to give up the meeting rooms the group has used since 1946.

Baildon Veterans Association has met in the Towngate Rooms, in the village centre, since the group was first constituted.

It runs activities for men over 60 including snooker, dominoes, cards, darts and chess and has speakers and outings.

Between ten and 15 men use the premises every afternoon.

Four years ago, the association applied for lottery funding to refurbish the building at a cost of £30,000 but one of the conditions of the funding was a proper lease with Bradford Council.

The previous agreement, which had been made with the former Baildon Council, had allowed the veterans to use the building rent-free.

But the terms of the new lease mean the veterans now have to pay for the running costs of the building. This was introduced in staggered amounts, from 25 percent for the first year, 50 percent for the second, and so on until now when the association has to pay all of the costs.

Chairman Bernard Simpson said the association had hoped the council would change its mind about the running costs and paying them was no longer 'a viable proposition' for the group.

He said: "We hoped the council would change its mind about us paying for the running costs but that doesn't look like it will happen. We will be sad to leave the Towngate Rooms, because we have been there a long time. People have got used to it. We would like to stay if it was possible, but I don't think it is. With the running expenses it means we can't afford to stay in the place."

Mr Simpson has organised new premises at the Moravian Church in the village and the association intends to move at the end of the year, if Bradford Council will agree to terminate the lease.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "It is early days yet, we have only just heard from the veterans' association about this and we are still negotiating with them about the lease. There are other groups that use the building too and nothing has been decided yet."

Stewart Main, of Baildon Local History Society, said he was concerned for the future of the building if the association moved.