A KEIGHLEY charity whose historic buses are a familiar sight on the town's roads has been ordered to quit its base.

The Keighley Bus Museum Trust was told this week it has three months to leave the Riverside depot, off Dalton Lane.

Stunned secretary David Jones said the verbal hammer-blow was delivered during the trust's annual general meeting on Monday night.

"We do not have a formal lease but we have acquired some rights as sitting tenants," said Mr Jones, who has been involved with the organisation for more than 20 years.

"I don't know what's going to happen now. Nothing was decided at the meeting; no motion was on the agenda."

The trust, which was founded in 1991, has been based at its current location for just over 10 years.

About 80 vehicles, some owned by the charitable trust and others in private ownership, are housed at the depot.

Open days are held – the last of the season, in September, was hailed as a huge success – and the buses are frequently seen operating special services around the town.

Vehicles feature in gala parades and at other events, provide the pioneering Christmas Day service and offer a shuttle link to and from Keighley Show.

Mr Jones – who owns two buses himself – said there was a faction within the trust which wanted to buy the current base, but he felt it was unsuitable as a permanent museum.

"It's an ex-foundry building which is cold and damp," he added.

"The advice from people experienced in these matters is that the Heritage Lottery Fund would not be prepared to put money into it.

"However no alternative site has been identified and finance would be an issue.

"It is not a happy situation."

The Keighley News attempted to contact the landlord, Stephen Greenwood, but he was unavailable for comment.