A GARDENING association whose history stretches back to the Second World War has decided to quit after "losing heart"over prolonged negotiations to find a new home.

A shadow has been hanging over the future of Otley & District Gardeners Association (ODGA), which has been based in Bondgate for the last 30 years, ever since Sainsbury first mooted plans to build a new superstore there in 1999.

At the start of this year a way forward seemed to have been reached, with a site for a new shed at Station Top identified with Leeds City Council and Sainsbury agreeing to cover the building costs.

Agreeing a lease on the new site, however, has proved to be a major sticking point and now ODGA says it has had enough after being presented with an unacceptable "final offer."

Association secretary Jennifer Peckham said: "The five committee members have just lost heart, they've messed us about for so long we've had enough. We're finishing because Leeds just wouldn't give us a decent lease.

"We've been around since the 1940s and on this site since the 1970s, and have been in talks about where we are going to move to and what was going to happen for eight years now.

"We're are all plus 60, some are plus 70, and do all the work on a voluntary basis, and we don't need this hassle.

"We've mailed everyone who is a member, there are more than 200 of them and there would have been around 400 by the end of the year, to tell them we're finishing and have started selling off things to members."

In a letter giving its reasons, ODGA says: "The council offered us a site which suited us well. Showing us the site, the council officer said he would go away to prepare for us a good lease.

"On this basis, Sainsbury set in motion an application for planning permission, the building of a new shed and the payment of our expenses, for which they set aside £20,000.

"On the same basis they gave us notice to quit, which expires this month.

"Some weeks later we were shocked to receive a draft lease which only offered a five-year term with the option of being given notice to quit after just three years.

"After negotiation they extended that to five years, after which we would be under the threat of six months notice.

"Considering this does not give us sufficient security to continue our work, for we cannot live for ever wondering if we will be quitting in six months, we have reluctantly decided to close down.

"Serving the community should not have to include fighting the council."

Councillor Colin Campbell (Lib Dem, Otley and Yeadon) - an association member - is urging ODGA to reconsider.

He said: "I'm very disappointed they've made the decision to close but I quite sympathise with the problems they've had dealing with some difficult negotiations regarding the replacement of the hut.

"I was hopeful the association could continue. I appreciate they've had problems trying to sort out the lease and I'm sorry with their decision not to continue with the discussions.

"I hoped we could arrange a meeting with all the parties to iron out the remaining problems, I'm still hoping to do that and council officers are still willing to come along.

"I would hope that even at this eleventh hour members of the association could be persuaded to have one last go to sort this thing out."