THREE sisters whose family owned Otley's iconic Dunnies cafe for decades are preparing to run a new business in Guiseley.

Corrie Foster will be joined by sisters Katie and Lindsey Davies when she opens her independent Italian coffee shop, Ciao!, on Wednesday, September 10.

Her daughter, Sacha, and niece, Natasha, will also be working part-time at the newly renovated cafe on Otley Road, which stands next to Coopers Bar and Brasserie.

Featuring indoor and outdoor terrace seating, Ciao! will serve everything from freshly ground coffee and loose leaf teas to Italian cream sodas, pizza, pasta and pastries.

Busy with last-minute preparations and looking ahead to the opening, Corrie said: "Our food is either made by locally based, native Italian chefs or sourced from Italian suppliers.

"It will offer an exciting alternative to that offered by the pre-packaged, corporate coffee shops.

"It is 40 years since my dad, Paul Davies, began running Dunnies - or the Wharfe View Cafe - in Otley with his brother, Richard. The premises were sold in January this year.

"My dad and uncles and dad are all professional caterers and with this venture I will be continuing the family catering tradition."

Dunnies had been a popular riverside cafe in Otley since 1925, and its closure has saddened many in the town.

MP Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) is calling on developers Gladman Care Homes to talk to Leeds City Council about opening a replacement cafe nearby.