AN ILKLEY councillor has criticised the closure this week of the town's Visitor Information Centre just two weeks before an influx of visitors is expected for the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley) said she was "completely gobsmacked" to be told on Monday the facility in Ilkley Town Hall had closed to enable a transfer the service to a smaller space.

However, Bradford Council has offered assurances the small space it has moved in to within the former reception area of the town hall is an interim measure while its new, permanent location within Ilkley Library is prepared in time for the Tour de Yorkshire.

Thousands of tourists are expected in the town on Friday, May 4 as, for the first time, Ilkley hosts a finishing stage of the race.

Cllr Hawkesworth said: "Why it is sensible to move from a spacious area into a cupboard before the cycle race? It is barking.

"Surely on one of the busiest days possible it would be wise and more efficient to use the large space for this occasion for one more time.

"It's pretty obvious that the booth or cupboard is only a gesture and can do little more than steer enquiries take bookings and hand out leaflets.

"It really doesn't make sense moving out of the large office they have currently into a poky little area two weeks before the cycle race.

The space they are moving into will be lucky to hold six people at a time."

In September last year proposals submitted by Ilkley Parish Council to take over the running of the town’s visitor information centre were accepted by Bradford Council.

The council’s executive committee agreed a plan to move the VIC from its location within the town hall into Ilkley Library.

The Parish Council will contribute £19,000 per year for a period of two financial years (2018/2019 and 2019/2020). This will fund two members of staff. It will have a retail space to offset any other running costs.

The move came amid huge budget cuts to Bradford Council’s tourism budget, which has been slashed by nearly three quarters.

A Bradford Council spokesperson told the Ilkley Gazette this week: “The Ilkley Visitor Information Centre will be moving to a new location in Ilkley Library.

“The new centre, which will have its own accessible entrance, will be open for the Tour de Yorkshire and two extra staff will be on hand to assist people on the day.

“Whilst we modify the library, there will be an interim information point in the former reception at the town hall which will continue to welcome visitors, provide information and make bookings. The work is expected to take two weeks.”

Cllr Steve Butler, chairman of Ilkley Parish Council said: "I have spoken to the staff doing the work on this and their manager this morning.  They are confident that the move to the Library will be completed by 30th April.

"The VIC is not closed and is continuing to operate successfully in the temporary office in the Town Hall.

"I am pleased that the financial and practical support given by the Parish Council has ensured that the VIC will remain open until at least April 2020.  Without our help it would almost certainly have been closed altogether at the end of March this year.

"We were fully aware of the significance of the pending TdeY when all this was planned and we made sure that there would be unlikely to be any problems on the big day.  Although there is never a good time to close a VIC it is essential that this is done as early as possible in the year and the tourism season.  Waiting until after the race might have meant the VIC being closed during the bank holiday."