One of the worst aspects of growing old is the sense of isolation that can set in, especially for those who live alone and who find their long-standing friends have perhaps moved away or gone into sheltered accommodation, or maybe are no longer with us.

It can be especially frustrating for those elderly people who remain in good health and of sound mind and find the boredom of being alone almost unbearable.

They want to keep active but perhaps don’t quite know what to do.

So the news that an Open House for Seniors event will take place every Friday at Ilkley’s Winter Gardens is a welcome new outlet to stop people suffering the effects of feeling too isolated.

A very successful similar event has been run for some years in Bradford at the St George’s Hall, and now Bradford Theatres are extending the project to the Winter Garden.

People will be able to drop in for a cup of tea, a chat, and a programme of events each Friday between 10am and 2pm.

There will be a host of activities and it’s the perfect opportunity to get out of the house – as the saying goes, there are no strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet.

Tour costs cash - but there should be real dividends

The Yorkshire leg of the Tour de France, which is going to be a major event in Ilkley next year, is going to cost in excess of £731,000 to Bradford Council, it has been revealed.

This is by anyone’s standards a lot of money at a time when local authorities are having to cut services and tighten their belts.

However, the benefits which will result from the hosting of the event will hopefully far outweigh the costs.

The Yorkshire leg of Le Tour is expected to bring in a million visitors a day at the various stages, and there will be a massive boost to tourism and trade during the event.

You do, after all, have to speculate to accumulate, and while the cost of staging the event is hefty, it will be a historical milestone for Ilkley and the rest of Yorkshire which will pay dividends for a long time to come.