Huddersfield
City Guide by Leisha Greenfield
Huddersfield
was dubbed 'the poetry capital of Europe' for its thriving creative
industry and numerous poetry publishers, editors and writers, and regular
readings and poetry events, and the city's reputation for creative
excellence is deserved. The Kirklees Media Centre is home to seventy
creative businesses and there are half a dozen studio units available to
hire in the city centre alone.
 Huddersfield's
role as a creative centre is reflected in its dozens of theatres,
performance spaces, galleries and art studios, and the country's rising
'cafe culture' is certainly apparent here.
Set
into 160 miles of the Pennines and encompassing surrounding villages,
such as Holmfirth, Huddersfield combines the best of city and rural life.
History
History
in Huddersfield dates back to a mention in the Doomsday book, when it was
the village of 'Oderesfelt'. Today it is a city with a population of
150,000, and the third highest number of listed buildings in the United
Kingdom.
Oakwell
Hall is a sixteenth century manor house, its seventeenth century fixtures
and fittings restored or reproduced. The Hall is set into 100-acres of
country park, picnic areas, nature trails and an adventure playground,
and is open to the public.
The
Red House Museum was once a seventeenth century home, home to close
friends of Charlotte Brontė’s. The home is now a museum devoted to
seventeenth century servant life, with a Brontė exhibition in the barn.
Longley
Old Hall is another historical family home, this one a fourteenth century
timber-framed building.
Art
Galleries
The
art exhibition spaces in Huddersfield are too numerous to mention, but
the Huddersfield Art Gallery is the largest, with 2000 twentieth century
paintings, prints and sculptures. The venue also hosts music concerts and
festivals, and original art is available for £2 for the Art Vending
Machine.
Stansfields
Gallery is home to workshops and an exhibition space in the gardens. Park
View Studios exhibits works by Tony Chisholm, a local artist.
There
are three more large galleries in other parts of the borough: The Lupton
Square Gallery in Holme Valley, the Bruton Gallery and the Ashley Jackson
Galleries in Holmfirth.
Theatres
The
Lawrence Batley Theatre is the largest of many theatres and performance
spaces in Huddersfield, and located in an early nineteenth century
Methodist church. There are two auditoria and a busy programme of
productions of drama, comedy, dance and music.
Cragrats
Theatre, in Holmfirth, seats eighty people and presents small-scale
touring performances and productions by the in-house theatre company. The
theatre is located in Holmfirth.
Proper
Job Theatre Company is an organisation that presents drama in schools and
on educational sites to emotional wellbeing. Mikron Theatre Company is a
small-scale, touring drama group that use drama and music as tools to
explore educational, historical and social themes.
 Restaurants
For
traditional British cuisine in upmarket surroundings, The Olive Branch
has been listed in Good Food Guide on more than one occasion and offers
idyllic countryside views, and the Grade II listed hotel, The George, is
open and newly refurbished. Bradley's serves high quality British dishes
in a more relaxed atmosphere, and is owner-run.
Cragrats
is a fine dining restaurant, with chic leather and suede furnishings,
serving unique, high quality cuisine and open until 9pm.
Popular
Indian restaurants include Kebabeesh, Shabab and Elahi Tandoori; and in
Holmfirth is The Wrinkled Stocking, tearooms devoted to Last of the
Summer Wine.
Pubs/Bars
Huddersfield
CAMRA particularly recommend The Rat and Ratchet, The Sair Inn, and Rose
and Crown which has received mentions in the last thirty editions of Good
Beer Guide, and awarded The Grove Inn its 'Pub of the Season' accolade in
2006.
There
are branches of Wetherspoon and O'Neill's in the city, as well as
Revolution Vodka Bar with DJs every night, a license until 2am and free
entry.
Vox
Bar serves a range of unique and classic cocktails, real ales, beers and
food, and plays continental chillout music.
Nightclubs
Huddersfield
has several night clubs. The Camel Club opens four nights a week, to a
capacity of 450 people, and presents a mix of pop, commercial dance,
underground music and a punk, rock, ska and metal night on Fridays.
Club
Tokyo comprises four themed rooms – Club, Basement, Courtroom and
Bar – with funky house in the first, indie and rock’n’roll
in the second, r'n'b in the third, and funk and disco in the fourth. The
venue hosts live bands on non-club nights. The official afterparty is
held at Rouge, open until 6am.
Visage
and Ethos comprises The Union, Visage and Ethos, with a total capacity of
3000 people over the three venues. Music includes chart, commercial
dance, funky house, disco, hip-hop and r'n'b from the 60s to the present
day.
Shopping
The
Kingsgate Centre is the main shopping mall in the city, and is home to
more than thirty stores and half a dozen cafes and bars. Close by is The
Packhorse Centre, comprising a dozen budget jewellery, clothes and gift
stores. The Byram Arcade is a shopping and office complex, with units
currently occupied by creative businesses, independent publishers and
music, gift and art stores.
Huddersfield
Queensgate Market is a huge indoor market, trading in clothes, food,
electricals and more, with a cafe and hairdressers on site. There is also
an open market and specialist markets throughout the year.
Sports
Huddersfield
Sports Centre is one of fourteen leisure centres in the city, and
comprises two pools, health and fitness suites, a climbing room, sports
hall, bowling hall, junior gym and an Ofsted-registered creche. Free
childcare is available, and first time visitors do not pay to use the
pool.
For
those interested in outdoor climbing, Huddersfield Climbing Club are
active in the area.
Castlefields
Golf Club is one of fifteen in the area, and covers 2406 yards;
Huddersfield Golf Club is an 18-hole course with an eighteenth century
clubhouse. There are also numerous hiking paths and horse-riding trails set
into the picturesque Pennine valleys around the city, and White Rose
Potholing Group take groups out every Sunday.
top
|
