A document has been launched spelling out the future of Haworth as a working village and not a Bronte "theme park".

It calls for the place to retain its role as a small industrial community, rather than being turned into a museum piece.

The Vision for Haworth report is to be scrutinised by Bradford Council's leisure services committee later this month.

It has been compiled by Mike Hill, director of the Bronte Parsonage Museum, Graham Mitchell, chairman of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, David Robertson-Brown, secretary of Haworth Traders' Association and Worth Valley Councillor Mike Young.

And it is the first survey of Haworth - second to Stratford in the country as a the most popular literary tourist destination - in almost 30 years.

Coun Young said: "We deliberately invite constructive debate as this is much needed for the benefit of all in the village.

"We believe there is enormous potential for the development of tourism. It must be managed and not left to develop in a piecemeal fashion. At the same time there is potential to develop Haworth's light industrial base."

The report makes 12 recommendations including a call for an action plan to be devised over the next three months. It also wants the post of Haworth village manager made permanent, a partnership fund to be set up to promote tourism, a traffic study to be launched and a visitor survey carried out this summer.

And it wants Haworth residents to have their say at regular meetings with the new parish council, when it is set up next year, and tourism groups.

Mike Hill said he would be delighted to see traditional shops - like a butchers - back in Main Street.

"Tourism has been in the village longer than the residents so it must be given some rights, but at the same time Haworth is a working place and we want to see it continuing like that. We don't want it to become a Bronte theme park," he said.

Graham Mitchell added: "Because tourism is the biggest employer in the village it is important that it's managed responsibly.''

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