THE plan to turn a former Ilkley nightclub into a cinema is an interesting and unexpected one, and likely to be welcomed by many people.

Having heard some of the comments and reminiscences, particularly on social media, when the ‘Trav’ closed, it seems fitting that the former nightclub could be put to leisure use. Other late-night venues in town have since disappeared altogether or changed in character somewhat, leaving many local people heading off to Leeds for entertainment instead.

As well as being a potential addition to Ilkley’s cultural attractions - what with the previous Ilkley Film Festival attracting 3,500 people - a new cinema could be a boon to younger adults, and also to teenagers and families. Numerous surveys asking what facilities people would like to see in Ilkley have turned up ‘cinema’ as one of the most sought-after leisure activities. It appears someone was indeed listening, and believes there is a business case for starting such a venture.

Of course, it is still early days yet, and there will undoubtedly be issues to address, not least of which are potential noise and disturbance, particularly at night, and the seemingly endless debate about parking. The appeal of a new cinema could be fairly widespread across the community from film buffs to older people with limited mobility plus families and young people who could spend their leisure time closer to home.