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 Bront??s. The home is now a museum devoted to seventeenth century servant life, with a Bront? 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.
Numerous important historical buildings and monuments, including mills and factories and one of only two World Heritage Sites in Yorkshire, make the city a first choice of many history-seekers and the city never fails to reward the effort! Bradford is also home to the most visited museum outside of London.
The vibrant cultural life in Bradford, and award-winning restaurants, make the city an ideal destination for a relaxing evening out or weekend away; but the city also boasts a lively nightlife and music scene for those seeking entertainment a little more adventurous!
Like many other areas in the region, millions of pounds are pouring in for regeneration and the city offers an exciting up-and-coming feel.
History
Bradford was granted city status at the end of the nineteenth century, but its history is documented back to the thirteenth century. Bradford formed an important manufacturing area during the Industrial Revolution, but suffered the collapse of the manufacturing industry during the twentieth century. There have been signs of improvement over the last twenty years, but the rate of unemployment remains below the national average.
The National Media Museum is the most visited museum outside of London, exploring developments in photography, film and television, and housing the largest cinema screen in the world.
The Industrial Museum is based in an eighteenth century mill, and houses artefacts exploring the area's manufacturing past.
The nineteenth century village of Saltaire was built to house the local mill workforce, and is one of only two World Heritage Sites in Yorkshire.
Art Galleries
Bradford has numerous galleries including Cartwright Hall with comprises four separate galleries, displaying British works of art from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and a selection of South Asian arts and crafts.
Salts Mill is a shopping and arts complex, located in a converted Victorian mill in the village of Saltaire. There are four galleries in the complex, including David Hockney Gallery, a gallery exploring the area's heritage and a third displaying operatic costumes and masks.
The Manor House, in Ilkley, and the Arts Centre, in Bingley, host a range of temporary exhibitions.
Theatres
The Alhambra Theatre is Bradford's sole large-scale theatre, and housed in an impressive Victorian building. The theatre regularly hosts large-scale touring productions, including West End plays and performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
The Alhambra Studio is located next door, and stages small-scale performances.
The Bradford Theatre-in-the-Mill is adjacent to the university campus, and offers small-scale productions, and drama and technical workshops.
Theatres specialising in musicals and concerts include St George's Hall, The Tamsin Little Music Centre and The Little Priestley.
Restaurants
Amongst Bradford's award-winning restaurants is Weaver's. The restaurant comes highly recommended by Good Food Guide, AA, Michelin and Hardens, and serves traditional and contemporary British cuisine.
Bradford's Curry Mile is home to more than twenty Indian and Asian-influenced restaurants, of which, The Kashmir is widely regarded as the best by customers, and Mumtaz Paan House is recommended by Good Food Guide. Kipling's Indian restaurant was awarded the 'Best in Britain Award' by a customer vote.
Chino Thai serves Chinese and Thai dishes in an up-market environment, and offers seating for 100 people.
Pubs/Bars
CAMRA recommends numerous Bradford pubs in the city, and named The Junction 'Pub of the Year' in 2006. Other contenders were Haigy's and Fighting Cock.
Brewery Tap is a rock pub that presents live acts two or three times each week, offers a free jukebox and various drinks offers. Bradford's longest serving music venue also comprises a poolroom and beer garden.
Fubar is a cocktail bar and tapas restaurant, boasting a vast selection of cocktails, wines, liqueurs and beers, with a chic and stylish interior that belie its low prices.
The Sun Hotel is one of Bradford's most popular gay bars, and features regular DJs, drag acts and pub quizzes. There is a lounge area, pool and games room, secluded beer garden and rooms to rent upstairs.
Nightclubs
Rio is a rock club and live music venue, one of many Bradford nightclubs, open three nights a week and presenting a selection from 80s and punk to indie and goth. Admission is free before 9:30pm and drinks are cheap.
Run by the owners of The Sun Hotel, Club Life is a very popular gay club, offering the best of sing-along classics and 'cheesy pop'. Admission is free on Thursdays, and a variety of DJs perform on Fridays.
Lingards is a house, speed garage and techno complex, comprising a pre-club bar, Ascension nightclub and Subterranea nightclub. There are club nights at the complex twice a week.
The Love Apple is another complex; this one comprising a cafe, bar, nightclub and art exhibition space. The club specialises in non-mainstream music, and hosts live music performances.
Shopping
The Kirkgate Shopping Centre is home to 65 shops and a large market on its top floor. There are 550 parking spaces, and the centre is easily accessible in the city centre. It is open every day.
The Oastler Shopping Centre is a market in the city centre, comprising 80 stalls and shops and trading in fresh fish, meat, fruit and vegetables. There are also cafes and markets. St James Wholesale Market is located out of the city centre, and is the place to find exotic food produce.
Salts Mill is a converted Victorian mill, now a shopping and arts development. The development is home to numerous shops trading in unusual goods, a cafe, a diner and four art galleries.
Sports
The Richard Dunn Sports Centre is the largest of forty leisure centres in the city, and comprises a 25-metre pool and leisure pool activities for children, a gym, and a sauna, a solarium and squash courts. The centre is open every day.
The city university offers an impressive range of sporting facilities over three venues. The Sports Centre houses most of the facilities, the Laisteridge Lane site is home to squash, football and hockey courts/pitches, and the Woodhall Sports Ground provides sites for football, rugby and cricket.
There are forty golf courses in Bradford; including Queensbury Golf Club, an 18-hole course with a lounge and bar on-site.
There is also a branch of Hollywood Bowl in the city, comprising 24 ten-pin bowling lanes.
Leisha Greenfield has sinced written about articles on various topics from Travel and Leisure, Manchester Travel and Travel and Leisure. Author: Leisha GreenfieldHaving spent 10 years working as a visitor guide at various top Londontourist attractions, Leisha Greenfield has now writes articles on