AN 80-year-old brochure that has been unearthed shines an intriguing light on Otley’s historic property market.

The 20 page leaflet for local estate agents Dacre, Son & Hartley was found by a resident behind an old fireplace and dates back to the 1930s.

It describes Otley as “an unspoiled residential town on the River Wharfe, an unnavigable river, only ten miles from the great industrial cities of Leeds and Bradford.

“Unlike so many towns in the neighbourhood, Otley has not been spoiled by the mines and mills which have so tragically disfigured much of this district.

“The District Council was one of the first in England to devise a town planning scheme when legislation gave it the necessary powers to do so in 1909.

“The scheme provides for many important improvements in the town’s amenities from a residential point of view, as well as limiting the number of houses to the acre to 16.”

David Phillip, a director at Dacre, Son & Hartley, said: “This brochure offers a wonderful insight into both Otley’s property market and the company in the late 1930s.

“It was an exciting time as Dacre & Son had just merged, in 1936, with Hartley Auctioneers, which was a competitor based opposite our Station Road office in Otley, to form Dacre, Son & Hartley.

“The brochure’s colour print, professional photography and the fact it was designed and printed in London demonstrates the company’s forward thinking approach, which is still a large part of our ethos.

He added: “It’s also apparent that the things that appealed to Otley’s homebuyers in the 1930s are still largely the same now.

“The town’s surrounding moorland, easy access to the Yorkshire Dales, public spaces, historic market square, strong agricultural heritage, successful sports clubs, good schools and easy access to Leeds and Bradford are all highlighted in the brochure.”