"Happy Cot," a club for the pensioners of Harle Syke for nearly 40 years, now in danger of being demolished.

"We've been blackmailed," cried Harle Syke garage tenants, who called police in on Wednesday when a builder started pulling down their garages. Now it is feared that the builder will pull down Briercliffe Old Age Pensioners' Association Centre as well. One garage was demolished completely, but, up to yesterday 16th March 1972, no further action had been taken by the building company. The storm blew up when Mr Frank Simm, who rents one of nine garages at the end of North Street, was called home from work to find that his garage had been pulled down and dumped in a field. Mr Frank Midgeley, another garage tenant, said "Poco Properties Ltd bought the land our garages stand on and intend to build houses on it. At a meeting held in the old people's club two weeks ago they gave us the option of either having our garages dismantled, or having the old people's club pulled down. To save the club we agreed to have our garages pulled down - provided that they gave us seven days' written notice. They also agreed to re-erect the garages within three weeks of gaining planning permission from the rural district council." This was hotly denied by a director of the building company, Mr John Hindle, who said that if the garage tenants objected then the old people's club would have to come down as well.

Briercliffe Old Age Pensioners' Club which has more than 100 members, has existed in the same building, the "Happy Cot," since 1936. Chairman of the club, Mrs W. Sharples was visibly shaken at the news that the club could be pulled down. She said: "We have been trying to buy the land from the company and holding competitions and sales for the past three months to raise money to buy it. We have also spent £300 on refurnishing over the past three years. If it comes down there won't be anywhere else in Harle Syke for the old folk to go. But we have the heart to fight, and we will fight." A spokesman for Nelson police, who sent an officer to the scene said that no offence was committed. The tenants had been advised to seek the advice of a solicitor.