VISITORS to the historic Haworth Art Gallery will soon be able to once again enjoy hot food and drinks after seeing the world-famous Tiffany Glass collection.

A tea room at the council-owned gallery, which also hosts exhibitions, weddings, and other events, is set to be opened after councillors agreed to lease a room out there.

For commercial reasons, councillors made the decision to enter into a lease with S.J. Service Limited following a behind-closed-doors tender process, but negotiations have now been finalised.

Documents read: "Due to lack of resources, the gallery had been unable to provide any tea room or catering services.

"Such a facility was essential to enhance any successful visitor and tourist attraction.

"Expanding the gallery would make it more accessible and attractive to residents of the borough as well as visitors from far and wide.

"The council could run its own in-house tea room and catering facility at Haworth Art Gallery.

"However, that option had been rejected as the council does not have the expertise or the resources to run such an operation."

A kitchen and tearoom was originally created at the gallery 14 years ago.

They were operated and managed by Jigsaw Pantry, a community business and social enterprise owned by Trinity Partners, whose aims were to reduce social exclusion of people with disabilities.

The cost of running the facilities was supplement by government cash and, when the funded ended, Trinity Partners could not afford to keep them open, and closed in 2005.

In 2009, consultant Bill Griffiths said in a study: "At present, Haworth visitors use a drinks machine but often require help to do this, a major failing in the Haworth's services to the visitor.

"Improvement to the tearoom is crucial to improving visitor numbers."

The council admitted 'very little' has changed since the report was written.

Leisure boss Ken Moss said a shop at the centre was going to be moved to reception, leaving a wood-panelled room free to be put to better use.

He said: "It will be open in March. It's very good news. We have nothing like this in the borough and I'm chuffed to bits.

"It will be an attraction for gallery and it's making better use of a very under-used room."