A NEW home for Otley Museum could finally be on the horizon.

The attraction has been looking for a new base for six years – ever since it lost its former home when the Civic Centre closed in 2010.

Although it continues to run a popular documentary and photographic archive facility from Otley Cycle Club's headquarters in Crow Lane, all of its exhibits have been boxed up and remain in storage.

Several possible locations have been identified in the past, including the former Leeds City Council (LCC) One Stop Centre's annexe, off Courthouse Street, only to fall through due.

But the annual meeting of the Otley Museum and Archive Trust has revealed that LCC is "working hard to find a new permanent home for the museum... and has somewhere in mind".

Museum chairman, Andrew Howard, said: "Although this may still be a year or two away, it is still positive news, and thanks were expressed at the meeting to local councillors for continuing to press the museum’s case."

He added: "Despite the current situation, the museum continues to receive new items – photographs, minute books of various groups in the town and many other objects, including a sign from Dunnies Café!

"There also continues to be many enquiries or gifts of material relating to the First World War."

As yet, LCC is remaining tight-lipped about the potential venue it has identified for the museum, so officials are continuing to try to find temporary accommodation solutions.

Me Howard said: "Although the museum cannot have all of its exhibits on show at the moment, it is using other ways of exhibiting what we have.

"There is a changing display in the town council’s Core centre. We have provided exhibits for the parish church’s exhibition for The Queen’s birthday and given photographic talks on old Otley to groups in the town."

The meeting also heard the archive service is continuing to receive regular queries and that the subsequent research is "delighting many people with further information on their family history, their home or on a variety of other subjects".

The museum's recently printed book Otley Through Time, produced in co-operation with Amberley Publishing, has been selling well and adding to funds for any future new premises.

Mr Howard remains hopeful for the future but says recruiting new supporters, who can join a Friends group, and volunteers will be essential for survival.

He added: "If we are continue to preserve and record Otley’s rich heritage and have it accessible, then we do need new volunteers and new financial supporters, otherwise it could be lost to the town."

Visit otleymuseum.org or call in to the museum's archive base in Crow Lane for more details.