End of an era as last firm moves out of Guiseley's historic Springhead Mill (From Wharfedale Observer)

End of an era as last firm moves out of Guiseley's historic Springhead Mill

8:56am Thursday 7th March 2013 in Local news By Annette McIntyre

More than 170 years of manufacturing at a Guiseley mill came to an end this week as the last company moved out.

Springhead Mills, which opened in 1842, was an important part of Guiseley’s history as a thriving textile town.

In recent years it has been home to a number of small businesses – but on Monday the last of those moved its machinery out of the building.

The site is now earmarked for redevelopment, despite a long campaign of opposition from local people.

David Tate, who has run The Kitchen Factory at the mill for the past four years, said his business was the last of eight to move out after being after being given notice to quit.

He said he had always known that his move from Bradford to Guiseley might only be temporary, and that the owners were looking to redevelop the site.

“They made it quite clear from the word go – it was always on the cards,” he said.

Mr Tate, whose company will now be based at Moorfield Industrial Estate in Yeadon, said: “I think it is 171 years since they started on the site. The bit that we were in dates back to 1913, so basically it was 100 years of manufacturing history.”

Locals, councillors and residents expressed their concerns about the effect on the local infrastructure when an application for 54 homes on the site of Springhead Mills was given planning permission in August 2011.

Opponents of the scheme said it would have a damaging effect on the local area and would lead to numerous problems.

Before the decision, local resident Chris Irvine said: “If this development gets the go-ahead, we are looking at a transformation of this historic conservation area, with all the attendant problems and dangers of increased traffic, disturbance and loss of privacy.”