Historians are acting to safeguard the future of one of Baildon's architectural gems.

Baildon Local History Society is maintaining a vigil over the Towngate Rooms, which have lain empty for several months and face being sold by owner Bradford Council.

Society secretary Stuart Main said the 94-year-old treasure, opened as the Liberal Club during the reign of George V, had the security of being within Baildon Conservation Area.

But he said the effectiveness of the designation granted by the Council to maintain the village's older buildings had yet to be really tested.

He said his group was poised to seek listed building status should the rooms face being pulled down or altered in a way detrimental to the area.

The building was last occupied by Baildon Veterans.

Mr Main said: "In the last year many people have talked about what's going to happen about the Towngate Rooms as the building became empty.

"There's a real desire to see that it is preserved in all its glory should it be purchased further along the line."

And Councillor John Cole (Lib Dem, Baildon) suggested that the future of the Towngate Rooms could be linked with securing sorely-needed improvements at nearby Ian Clough Hall, another Council-owned community meeting place.

"Whilst the library has a pleasant enough ambiance and is both well regarded and well used, the public hall beneath is surely one of the dingiest and least appealing pieces of early 1970s architecture," he said.

"It is no surprise that in finance terms - income from lettings set against costs - the hall is the worst performer on the Council's list of public halls."

Councillor Cole said the hall was badly in need of more effective lighting.

"The hall has virtually no natural light and depends on panels of lights in the ceiling, many of which are broken.

"This adds to the gloom and general shabbiness of the room."

Councillor Cole has put down a question to the Leader of Council for the meeting tomorrow, asking what plans the Council has for refurbishing the lighting and the expected cost.

"The answer will help inform what I hope will become a constructive debate as to the future of Ian Clough Hall," he added.

He is set to suggest that funds from sale of the Towngate Rooms be used to improve Ian Clough Hall.

e-mail: jonathan.walton@bradford.newsquest.co.uk