The shocking scenes that unfolded in Ilkley town centre a week ago are a startling reminder that there are no lengths criminals will not go to in order to try to line their own pockets with ill-gotten gains. Shoppers, visitors and residents looked on aghast as a gang of masked men wielding axes tried to smash their way through the window of the Lister Horsfall jewellery store on Brook Street.

But as terrifying as it was for the staff of the shop especially, and passers-by who wandered around the corner to find a full-scale attempted robbery in progress, we should remember that such scenes are relatively rare.

We should not allow ourselves to be overly frightened by such things – they make the headlines because they are shocking and happen so infrequently. And to be terrified too much means that the thugs who carry out this sort of crime have won. The best way to restore our confidence is for these robbers to be brought to justice. Witnesses who saw the incident and the later abandoning of the car used in the crime have been incredibly helpful already in allowing police to build a picture of the crime for their investigation.

Anyone who has any further information, no matter how incidental or unimportant they feel it is, should contact the police to help catch these men quickly. In the meantime, we should show the criminal element that our town centres are for law-abiding people who will not be deterred from enjoying all that Ilkley has to offer by such violent actions.

Heritage cash

When spending is being cut back at public buildings such as the Manor House Museum and Ilkley Town hall, it is good to see another of Ilkley’s heritage buildings is still receiving public money.

The King’s Hall and the Winter Garden – which is 100 years old this year – are not only prominent features of this historic town, but also continue to serve a real purpose to the community.

The King’s Hall is still a thriving theatre, and along with the adjoining Winter Garden is one of the major venues in Ilkley for a wide range of events. Of course, the King’s Hall is lucky in that, unlike the town hall next door, is generates its own money, and also has fundraising support behind it in the form of the Friends of the King’s Hall, who have successfully worked towards many major improvements. Worries about key public buildings came up when Bradford Council worked on its later-abandoned asset management strategy several years ago.

Now cuts have been made at the Manor House Museum and just 12 months has been given for a community management scheme to be put in place.

Ilkley Town Hall has had almost all Bradford Council services withdrawn from it, raising further questions about the long-term future of public buildings which do not generate money in the way that the King’s Hall, Winter Garden and the popular Ilkley Pool and Lido do. However, investing money into the King’s Hall in the way Bradford Council has agreed to do will surely attract more events and large audiences, giving a much brighter future to at least one of our local landmarks.