News, Discussion, Info, Features, Events and much more
Piano Festival cancelled. The HebWeb has been informed: "It is with great sadness and disappointment that due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Hebden Bridge Piano Festival Board has taken the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Festival." See statement. (16 Mar)
More coronavirus cancellations: May's Local Elections, the Mayor's Ceilidh (21 March), the next Local History talk (25 March) and Discovering Ted Hughes' Yorkshire. (21 March)
Three cases of Coronavirus are currently being reported in Calderdale (18 March)
HebWeb Forum: Hebden Bridge and the coronavirus
And the winner is… Calder Valley Community Land Trust! With first prize for Social Investment at the Awards ceremony in Leeds yesterday (March 12) organised by Social Enterprise Yorkshire and Humber. Read more
Extinction Rebellion Flashmob - Dozens of dancers took over Hebden Bridge, Saturday lunchtime, 7 March. See XR Facebook. Click photo to enlarge.
Cancelled: Discovering Ted Hughes's Yorkshire: Trail Maps Launch on Sat 21 March. Literary and heritage trail, with maps designed by HB cartographer Chris Goddard. Poetry readings from Carola Luther and David Morley, and a talk by Hughes expert, Dr Steve Ely. Read more
The Captive Queen Speaker David Templeman told a recent meeting of the University of the Third Age about his researches into the life of Marie Stuart, Mary Queen of Scots. Read report (12 March)
Little Theatre looking for a large cast Ray Riches auditioned for their June play, When We Are Married, on Sunday 15 March, at 7pm. More info
Cancelled
Film Festival Programme Launch - The full programme for the 2020 Hebden Bridge Film Festival has been launched with new films from the UK and around the world. The Festival takes place from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 March 2020. Read more
Win tickets for Kirsty Almedia at the Trades World folk singer/ songwriter and composer Kirsty Almedia is now based here in Hebden Bridge and the HebWeb has a couple of pairs of tickets for her homecoming album launch at the Trades on Friday 13 March. More info
Big Comedy Little Theatre Canalside Comedy geared up for an evening of comedy on Sunday, 8 March. Paul Tonkinson and Scott Bennett were joined by newer acts, Liam Pickford and Celya Ab, hosted by Bobby Murdoch.
Read more
Funding for flood-hit communities The Calder Valley was the worst hit area in England during the recent floods. For details of grants, council tax relief and the flood resilience scheme, see this news page.
Hunger Strike to Ban the Burn Following the devastating flooding in Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd during Storm Ciara, Hebden Bridge's Dongria Kondh, co-ordinator of Treesponsibility, has gone on hunger strike outside Natural England's Leeds office. Read more (20 Feb)
Flood relief The Government has now confirmed Calderdale Council will receive funding to help support residents and businesses affected by Storm Ciara. Read more (19 Feb)
Calderdale calls for Government response to support the Calder Valley – to ensure that flooded homes and businesses get the urgent help they need and to help manage the significant, ongoing risk of floods across the borough. Read more (18 Feb)
THE 9 FEBRUARY FLOOD Photos and links to info and support, news and media reports and HebWeb reports of five previous major floods since the millennium. This page will be updated with further info as it comes in.
Channel 4 News Report from Mytholmroyd - Cllr Scott Patient welcomed the help from troops, but said there was a need for substantial investment from the Government. "People are angry and frustrated". Watch YouTube video. (15 Feb)
Storm Dennis update Flood wardens have reported "a fairly quiet night with all rivers rising close to, but not above their banks. All "high risk" areas have peaked with EA advising that the storm appears to be easing off and rainfall turning to light showers throughout Sunday." (9.30, 16 Feb)
Army deployed to help support the ongoing recovery from last weekend's flooding and the preparations for Storm Dennis. Flood alert in place for Upper Calder catchment. River Calder at 1.7 metres in Hebden Bridge. (8.15pm, 15 Feb)
The Picture House re-opened after the recent flood on Weds 12 February and needs your support. Read latest info from the Friends of the Picture House.
Hebden Bridge markets closed Sat-Sun 15-16 Feb as further bad weather is forecast.
Flooded six times since 2000 - there have now been six major floods, and many more smaller ones in the past 20 years. Links to HebWeb reports of previous floods.
ITV report on Mytholmroyd: "Four years, millions of pounds, hundreds of men in orange jackets .... and look what's happened to the Calder Valley again."
Old Town Playground Plans - Wadsworth Parish Council has recently recruited four new Councillors who would like to ask the community what piece of new equipment residents would like to see at Old Town play area. More info. (16 March)
Hebden Bridge Film Festival cancelled. Louise Wadley, Film Festival Director: "We are very sorry to announce that we are postponing the 2020 Hebden Bridge Film Festival. Given the worsening situation with the Covid-19 virus we feel this is the right decision." Read more (16 March)
Postponed: Happy Valley Pride Launch 'Big Night Out' on Weds, 18 March at the Town Hall, to complement the main Happy Valley Pride festival in July. Writing Anne Lister, And Then We Danced and Kirsty's Poptastic Piano Singalong. More info
Green Door: Ann Brown's true story of escaping a toxic relationship that almost killed her. Funded by Arts Council England, her one woman play, Green Door, exposes the traits of those who inflict physical and mental torture on their partners. Read more (13 March)
HebWeb Small Ads. Message received about ad for 2 bed house: "I've had so many people message about this I can't keep up with replying."
Greta Thunberg: Giant work of art appears in the Mytholm area of Hebden Bridge. Artists from Sand in Your Eye worked with children from Hebden Royd School to produce a piece of art 60 metres long, in time for International Women's Day. See photos and video. (8 Mar)
Hebden Bridge Library has Re-opened. following the floods but upstairs only at this point, Entry is via the side door on Cheetham Street. Downstairs should be open in the next couple of weeks.
Artsmill Exhibition: Living in a Pennine Landscape from artists Anita Burrows, Roy Hubbard and Andrew Morrison at The David Wright Gallery from 1-22 March with a preview on Sunday, 1 March at 2pm. More info (25 Feb)
The Egg Factory has moved to new premises not far away - just over the car park at Unit 4 Victoria Works, Victoria Road. We're calling it the Egg Factory Annexe. More info (6 March)
Slow the Flow Latest news Slow The Flow have been incredibly busy in the last month as a result of Storms Ciara and Dennis. Read about some of the activities the group has been up to and dates to watch out for over the next few weeks. Read more (5 March)
Dreaming Valleys: Hebden Bridge based magazine, Northern Earth is sponsoring a "day of engagement with topography, history and folklore, in words, music and song" at the Birchcliffe Centre on Sat 14 March. More info
New novel from best-selling author Linda Green - situated in the Calder Valley and selected for the BBC Radio 2 Book Club, the author signed copies at the Book Case on Wednesday, 4 March. More info (2 March)
Frank Woolrych died peacefully at home with his family on 14 Feb 2020. For many years, the President of our Local History Society, the preserving of the Alice Longstaff collection and the creation of the Pennine Horizons Digital Archive were among his many achievements. For details of the celebration of his life, see Lives Remembered: Frank Woolrych
Skipton's First World War POW Camp Anne Buckley, in a talk to the Local History Society, told about being handed a book written in German, which had been lying forgotten in the storeroom of Skipton Library since the 1950s. Read report (29 Feb)
How to Write a Business Plan - A business plan serves as a key strategic tool for all types of entrepreneurs, is highly likely to hit your short-term and long-term goals and can help you get funding for your project. More info (19 Feb)
International Women's Day at the Trades, celebrated female artists everywhere this Sunday, 8 March. Fiona Love hosted this event. Organisers promised an amazing line up of talent. More info (3 March)
And Then We Danced to close Film Festival 2020 - a passionate and beautiful coming-of-age tale about forbidden love in the Georgian ballet. Set within the conservative confines of modern Tbilisi, the film tells the story of a competitive dancer. More info (19 Feb)
Peterloo and after: Lit and Sci lecture with speaker Robert Poole, Professor of History at the University of Central Lancashire on Sat, 22 Feb. More info
Flood brings penguins to the U3A
Sue Flood, internationally acclaimed award-winning wild life photographer and film maker told the U3A of her travels and working on The Blue Planet and Planet Earth, with Sir David Attenborough. Read report
Preparing for Storm Dennis Calderdale Council is preparing for Storm Dennis, which is expected to hit the our area this Saturday and into Sunday. An Amber weather warning is in place. With the ground already saturated, rivers are due to respond quickly. Read more (11 Feb)
Causes and causeys – manorial regulation of roads - The Local History Society heard from Murray Seccombe who shared his experience of using records from the manor of Wakefield to get a fix on how the area's highways were managed in the seventeenth century. Read report (15 Feb)
HebWeb Forum - Floods
Environment secretary snubs meeting with campaigners Tory MP Theresa Villiers ducks out of meeting with Ban the Burn campaigners during visit to Calder Valley. See Morning Star report (13 Feb)
Market Street, Hebden Bridge, Sunday 9 Feb. Photo: Kate Sims. Click on photo to enlarge.
Guardian Report "Mytholmroyd community members say slow progress left properties unprotected. . . . Sourena Jowkar was totting up the damage at his Persian cafe, Leila’s Kitchen, which opened four months ago. He was full of praise for local people who were helping him with the clear-up." (11 Feb)
Daily Mirror report "Labour MP for Halifax, Holly Lynch, said there was a 'sense of absolute devastation' as the Environment Agency comes under fire for taking so long to complete flood defences." (11 Feb)
Morning Star report: Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker voted against extra funding for flood defences following 2015’s Boxing Day deluge
BBC report - Storm Ciara aftermath: Calder Valley assesses flood damage. Barry Greenwood said, "Something had to be done to stop repeat flooding." (10 Feb)
Floods parking restrictions in Hebden Bridge lifted, free food at the Town Hall, schools closed. Roads now passable, cleaning materials and help at Hubs: Hebden Bridge and Todmorden Town Halls, Mytholmroyd Library. More info (10 Feb)
9 February 2020 flood - photo: Mike Barrett of the centre of Hebden Bridge. Click to enlarge
FLOODED AGAIN! - Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd and the Upper Calder Valley are currently impassible. Sirens were sounded at 8am. See the Facebook Group Calder Valley Flood Support for latest info. The Environment Agency has issued flood warnings for the whole area. Rivers expected to rise until around midday. (9 Feb, updated 11am)
Misbehaviour to open Hebden Bridge Film Festival 2020 - the story of the 1970 Miss World competition, and how a group of women disrupted the pageant in front of a world-wide audience of nearly 100 million viewers in what has now become a famous Women’s Liberation Movement protest. Read more.
Helen Meller steps down from Arts Festival: After 7 successful years Helen Meller is stepping down. Helen became the Festival's Artistic Director after a career in publishing and television in London led her back to her native Yorkshire roots. Read more.
BBC2: Walking from Heptonstall to Stoodley Pike Shanaz Gulzar rambles past Hell Hole Rocks, along the canal, before climbing uphill to Stoodley Pike, stopping to sketch and read poetry. Click here to watch on iPlayer for the next month. Shown on BBC2 at 7.30pm, 29 Jan.
Holocaust Memorial Day 2020 From the archive. In 2003, The Mytholmroyd Net interviewed Thea Gersten, about her diary of a Jewish teenager growing up in Nazi Germany and who came to live in Mytholmroyd. Read the interview.
Glee Unions: Singing and Socialism in 19th Century - Members of the Local History Society cleared their voices and learned how to sing some historic glee tunes. Practical demonstration was a crucial part of Professor David Baker's talk about the golden age of Glee clubs. Read report. (27 Jan)
The Best Motorhome Camp Sites near Hebden Bridge - If you you're heading for our area, you have some great choices to spend a holiday relaxing and recharging your batteries. More info (22 Jan)
ArtsMill Exhibition: The Still Earth - an art exhibition by Jan Langdale whose work is inspired by nature and the elements. From 29 Jan with a preview Sun, 26 Jan. More info
HebWeb Forum - opinion is divided on the proposed "traffic improvements."
No Arts Festival for 2020 - The Festival’s taking a year’s break and the board is looking to recruit new trustees and a Chair to lead the way forward.
HebWeb Small Ads - The HebWeb is brilliant. Found tutor within 3 days. The response was excellent as was the calibre of the candidates.
Murphy's Lore stopped at the end of 2019 for a little while.
You can still read all 52 weekly editions online here on the HebWeb. And in book form in 2020. Murphy's Lore
Slow the Flow in 2020 and the new decade - Keeping Natural Flood Management on the agenda! And looking back over the milestones of the past year. Projects around Calderdale continue to develop, and are starting to make a tangible difference. Read report. (12 Jan)
January Lunchtime Live, was on the afternoon of 18 January, and featured Reggie and the Krayfish, Creedy and The Men They Couldn’t Stand at the Hope Baptist Church. Read more
Greenham Common exhibition at the Town Hall A new exhibition about Greenham Common was held at Hebden Bridge Town Hall from 6-20 January 2020. It focussed on the memories and memorabilia of women living locally in the Calder Valley, 'Our Greenham' features photos, leaflets, badges, interviews, song sheets, banners and even a camp kettle. More info
Have your say on road improvement plans - the plans are available to view online and there is a drop-in event at the Town Hall, where people can give feedback in person and Council staff will be on hand to answer any questions. Read more (3 Jan)
Hundreds and hundreds packed the square for the good-natured Christmas Eve carol singsong. However, one thing was missing this year - the lights on the Christmas tree!
Calder Valley stays Tory. Craig Whittaker increases his majority by 5000. See HebWeb’s election page.
Jeremy Corbyn welcomed in Mytholmroyd, Saturday, 30 November 2019. Click photo to enlarge.
HebWeb coverage of the 2019 General Election is at caldervalley.org.uk along with info on general elections back to 1997.
Calder Valley candidates for the 12 Dec General Election are Javed Bashir (Lib-Dem), Josh Fenton-Glynn (Lab), Richard Phillips (The Liberal Party) and Craig Whittaker (Cons). The Greens are not standing and have told the Hebweb they will be giving their support to Labour. Similarly, the Brexit Party are giving their support to the Tories. General Election in Calder Valley
Mytholmroyd Station Partnership… simply outstanding That was the verdict of the National Association of Community Rail Partnerships, in awarding Mytholmroyd Station Partnership the 2019 Community Rail Award. More info and background
Innovation to be honoured in this year's Parliamentary Review, at its 2019/20 publication launch in the Houses of Parliament next Weds. 30th October. Bridge Mill is home to a dozen businesses and, with its heat pumps and Archimedes Screw, is now carbon neutral. Read more
New Trains - from Monday 21 October, Northern are now running the new Class 195 trains on the route from Chester to Leeds through Hebden Bridge.
Hebden Bridge Camera Club Exhibition Winners The Club’s annual exhibition was an extremely successful week as in previous years. Over 1200 visitors from near and far viewed the 66 prints on display at the Town Hall and almost 900 of those took part in the vote for the ‘People’s Choice’. Read more (11 Sept)
Paul Barker’s obituary in The Guardian. Paul Barker was a paper boy at Jones’ Newsagents, went on to edit New Society from 1968-86 and wrote the book about Hebden Bridge: A Sense of Belonging. See also: HebWeb report of his book launch in April 2012.
Yorkshire Post on Hebden Bridge: "A Yorkshire town with an independent streak… Hebden is a striking town in an even more striking location."
Fire and barbecues banned on moors With the temperature in Hebden Bridge reaching 33C yesterday, action to reduce the risk of moorland fires continues in Calderdale, with new signs going up on moors across the borough to warn people that using barbecues and lighting fires is banned. Read more
Water subsiding after peakng at midday - (9 Feb, 2.30pm)
Mytholmroyd this morning, Sun 9 Feb. Posted in Hebden Bridge Flood Action Group Facebook group
Hebden Bridge station improvements to start next week Network Rail will begin major work to improve Hebden Bridge railway station in a £500,000 investment, to be completed by the end of March. Read more (5 Feb)
The Big Spring Clean is back! From 20-29 March. The Town Council will pay community groups £60 for each team of 6 which takes part. Applications should be made to Hebden Royd - more info
Carbon neutral by 2038 - or sooner! After declaring a Climate Emergency on 30 January 2019, Calderdale Council is proposing another significant move in its fight against climate change – to make the borough carbon neutral by 2038. Read more (3 Feb)
Grants from the Rotary Club The Rotary Club of Hebden Bridge awards grants to local, national and international charities and good causes. Their grant income comes from running events such as the Duck Race and the Vintage Weekend. Each year, they distribute around £45,000. More info (1 Feb)
Northern to be nationalised The company which operates most of our local trains, is going to be taken under Government control. See BBC report (29 Jan)
Maps of Road changes for Hebden Bridge - see larger version of the above map, and four other ones designed to help explain the changes. The deadline has been extended to 14 February to make representations. Click here to make your views known. See discussion on the HebWeb Forum (26 Jan)
Opposition grows to "traffic improvements" which include making the Keighley Road at Commercial Street one way, banning commuter parking on the A646 between Hebden Bridge Station and Mytholmroyd, and banning parking on Market Street. The HB Business Forum is campaigning against the changes. Read more
Tour de Yorkshire this year includes Hebden Bridge - three times. Once for the Women’s Tour and twice for the Men’s Tour as they go on to the 404 metre high ‘Cote de Todmorden' and back. Tour de Yorkshire website (17 Jan)
The Runaways - shown on Saturday, 1 Feb at The Picture House. Three children, two donkeys and one big adventure! Filmed in Yorkshire, Q&A with director, Richard Heap. More info
Arts Festival seeks new Chair and Trustees Hebden Bridge Arts Festival is seeking to recruit Trustees and a Chair to join their dynamic and experienced Board. More info and details of how to apply.
Small Ads - "We filled the vacancy thanks to the Hebweb, brilliant service"
WHERE TO STAY in Hebden Bridge. See the extensive HebWeb listings of accommodation, self catering and bed and breakfast options for when you visit our wonderful area.
Radiophonic Razzle-Dazzle ‘Cinderella’ - not just an ordinary Christmas panto, oh no. "Commissioned, subtly scripted, wickedly witty, perfectly punned, colourfully costumed, musically magical, audibly amplified and magnificent." Read U3A report (3 Jan)
Lit&Sci lecture CANCELLED Author Christopher de Bellaigue was to lecture on the Islamic Enlightenment on Saturday 18 January. Read more
WHAT'S ON THIS YEAR? The HebWeb already has a varied, interesting selection of events listed in its What’s On Section. Greenham Common Exhibition, Repair Cafe, Laurel and Hardy, Bellydance, wildlife photography, French comedy, Lunchtime Live, Lit & Sci lecture, Survivors of Torture fundraiser, John Shuttleworth’s back, free legal advice day - and that’s just January!
Calder High School Admissions Policy Proposed changes in policy. "Information evening" at the school on Monday, 13 Jan. See Forum message
A Victorian Artist Paints Hebden Bridge: the landscape paintings of John Holland. Diana Monahan and Justine Wyatt, spoke to the Local History Society on finding out more about the Victorian artist John Holland’s paintings of the Calder Valley. Read report (9 Jan 2020)
HebWeb Forum discussion: political parties, bus times, mountain bikes and the new trains.
2015 Boxing Day Flood - 4 years on A summary of the work which has been done over the past four years to repair the damage, and to make our area more resilient for when it happens again. Read more
from the Archive: 26 December 2015
Boxing Day Floods: Flood Sirens went off at 9.30pm Christmas Day in Hebden Bridge and again throughout the length of the Upper Valley at 7.30am Boxing Day morning. Read the HebWeb report from 4 years ago. Click photo to enlarge
The Saving of Hardcastle Crags Grant Lowe told the local History Society how, when he came to work for the National Trust at Hardcastle Crags, his curiosity was aroused by a memorial recording three attempts to flood the valley - in 1934, 1949 and 1969. More info (3 Dec)
Hebden Bridge on Woman’s Hour (from around 28 mins in) - our area is praised for being friendly to lesbians the liberal minded, creatives and progressives, for its co-operatives, hippies and Sylvia Plath’s grave. And they plan to do a Woman’s Hour from Hebden Bridge. (27 Nov)
Little Theatre: Bazaar and Rummage Sue Townsend’s heartfelt comedy Bazaar and Rummage, tells the story of a group of agoraphobic women, as they attempt to overcome their social anxieties, by running a jumble sale. From 25-30 Nov. More info.
Brearley Fields wetland nature reserve will improve biodiversity and the river environment, boost flood attenuation and bring health and wellbeing benefits to people in Mytholmroyd and Luddendenfoot. Read more
Pumpkin Festival 2019 - Click to enlarge. More pumpkin photos from Craig Shaw
Mytholm Chimney - Statement from the Town Council: While the council is not prepared to take responsibility for this historic landmark, they would be prepared to consider assisting any group which did take it over. Read more (24 Oct)
The aftermath of the Walkley Clogs Mill fire on the morning of 2 August, 2019, photographed by Craig Shaw. Click photo to enlarge
Walkleys Clogs building on fire - the road between Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd is now likely to remain closed until Saturday, according to Calderdale. The Fire Service say the fire is under control but are asking people to stay away from the area. See BBC report (1 Aug, updated 10pm)
Colour, music, dancing and smiles: The sun shone and the crowds gathered as the Handmade Parade’s 'Once upon a Time' tales wound through the streets of Hebden Bridge yesterday for the 12th annual Handmade Parade. Thousands of people from across the north and beyond watched the Parade of hundreds of people of all ages in as it filled the town with colour, music, dancing and smiles. See HebWeb photo gallery.
"Britain at its best: Hebden Bridge where Ed Sheeran was born is a true northern star,” declares Mail Online article. Apparently, our town is 'just right side of gentrified’. Read article
Free public toilets This year Calderdale Council will mark Yorkshire Day by making all of its public toilets free of charge, initially for a trial period. So from Thursday 1 August, there’ll be no cost if you need to spend a penny. More info
Above: Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade - 30 June 2019. 40+ more photos here
More tree cover still needed in Hebden Bridge, say Friends of the Earth. The organisation claims trees can act as effective flood defences, helping to reduce peak water levels by as much as a quarter. See ITV report.
BBC1 Countryfile at Hardcastle Crags "We're in West Yorkshire and this is one of its true hidden gems." And featuring the work of Slow the Flow Calderdale. (17 June)
Banking in Hebden Bridge: 'The only banks left in Hebden Bridge are grass ones down by the river'. See this weekend's article on the bankless town of Hebden Bridge in This is Money
The National Geographic’s Cool List for 2019 has West Yorkshire at number 7. The Calder Valley is highlighted - "with hippyish Hebden Bridge as its epicentre" - as a "burgeoning hub for restaurants and independent shops." )
Historic Narrow Boat Club Gathering in Hebden Bridge, 24-27 May. See What's on for more info. Thanks to Andrew Smith for the photo - click to enlarge.
Gentleman Jack
Watch now
The first episodes of Gentleman Jack, the new drama from Happy Valley writer Sally Wainwright, are based upon a book written about Anne Lister by local writer, Jill Liddington and published by Hebden Bridge publishers, Pennine Pens. More info, links and trailers (19 May)
Town Council votes to support a ban on nuclear weapons: Hebden Royd became only the third UK Council to support the ICAN Cities Appeal and the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Read more. (17 May)
Introduction to Extinction Rebellion Talk and Meeting - Wednesday 22nd May, 7pm at the Town Hall. Local Extinction Rebellion organisers would like to welcome more people to the Rebellion and support them to make sense of, and take action on, the climate crisis and mass extinction. Read more
Small Ads: "Hebweb scores again! I have sold my electric lawnmower today"
LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS:
Dave Young retains Calder Ward for Labour.
Labour takes Luddendenfoot.
Labour now have overall control of Calderdale Council, for the first time in 20 years.
More details and list, profiles and photos of local candidates for Calder and Luddendenfoot wards.
Labour Labour retain control of Hebden Royd Town Council taking 15 of the 18 seats. The Liberal-Democrats took the remaining 3 seats. See below for details. More details (Updated 4 May) and list, profile s and photos of candidates.
Prospective Mayor of Hebden Royd Town Council, Stephne Harrison, was defeated. A new mayor for the coming year will have to be chosen. (4 May)
HebWeb Small Ads We've been overwhelmed with the response and quality of applicants! Thanks so much!
Road closure: the main road through Mytholmroyd will be closed for the nights of 28-30 May from 11.30pm until 5am, as part of the Flood Alleviations works.
Small Ads - 3 two bed houses to rent, all announced the same day, on the HebWeb Smalls Ads page
Small Ads message - "Once again, great success by placing my house to rent on HebWeb!"
Huffington Post on Hebden Bridge: "You will find a town that was almost abandoned, but brought back to life by hippies, artists and lesbians looking for a place to make a life." Written by Sean Pert, who continues: "The town doesn't just tolerate its LGBT+ community, it values and embraces us." Read more (28 Feb)
2019 Hebden Bridge leaflet:
On this Tourist Info page, you can download a copy of the Hebden Bridge Tourism Guide 2019, and also a constantly updated separate and downloadable pdf list of Hebden Bridge’s 2019 festivals and events. (2 March)
Climate Emergency declared!
Hebden Royd Town Council has declared that Hebden Royd should be carbon neutral as soon as possible. Both our Town Council and Calderdale Council have agreed to face up to 'the issue of our time’ - the climate emergency. Read more
No banks. No petrol. Lloyds Bank was the last bank left in Hebden Bridge. It closed this month. Shepherds was the last petrol garage still open in Hebden Bridge. It stopped selling petrol this month.
Hebden Bridge artist Kate Lycett featured in Yorkshire Post feature
Hebden Bridge: How a thriving town lost its last bank: This Guardian article reports that, "Residents feel angry and let down as Lloyds departs, but one man (David Fletcher) has a plan to fill the gap." Only a few years ago, Hebden Bridge had five full time banks. The last one, Lloyds, closed last week. Read article (26 Jan)
Station Passenger Lifts take first passengers, this morning, Tuesday, 19 March 2019. Read more
Grouse estates investigated over heather burning including our own local Walshaw Moor who wouldn't go along with the voluntary agreement other estates signed up to. See Guardian article
Hebden Bridge is Cool - Hebden Bridge has made National Geographic's Cool list. "The Calder Valley - with hippyish Hebden Bridge as its epicentre - is a burgeoning hub for restaurants and independent shops." See article. (4 Dec)
Fox and Goose one of top 50 pubs according to The Guardian
Hebden Bridge features in The Spectator "The Yorkshire town that’s gone from dirty old buildings to New Age nirvana" by William Cook.
Swimming pool latest. It's still going ahead but, because of the 2015 Flood, not yet. And not in Hebden Bridge. Read the latest statement from the Swimming Pool Association, and follow the links for how the HebWeb has covered this controversial issue over many years. More
Small Ads: "Please can you remove small ad. I had a response within an hour of the ad going live and the first viewer took the house. I had 8 requests to view in 24 hours. Brilliant!"
Small Ads message - "Just to say that my cottage has now been let. Thanks once again to HebWeb!"
Save Hebden Bridge Signal Box
After more than 125 years as a familiar sight in the town, Network Rail have pulled the levers for the last time. Two community groups have put forward proposals for the building to be saved and restored to its former Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway glory. More info and leaflet
HebWeb on Twitter - join our 3500+ followers.
Small Ads: We had a prospective buyer view it, she loves the house and has put in offer we've accepted. So, thank-you!
"In a world where style often triumphs over substance, Hebweb is reassuringly informative, reliable and clear. An invaluable community resource and public information forum reflecting the independent spirit of Hebden Bridge. Lesley at Elmet Farmhouse.
Where to Stay in the Hebden Bridge area - many of the listings in this popular section have been updated over the past couple of weeks. And following several requests, there is now a new page which features only Bed and Breakfast listings.
Floods: HebWeb Gallery - 24 photos taken on the morning of Boxing Day, 2015.
Small Ads: "Amazing but my house in Tod got rented out within 30 minutes after putting the house on Hebweb."
HebWeb Feature on the 2015 Boxing Day Flood, gathering together many of the articles, news, links, photos and videos. Updated reguarly.
Accessible Venues guide - a brief guide to which venues for hire, might be suitable for community groups, classes, meetings, events or activities, to be accessible to disabled people. From the Disability Access Forum
Small Ads success - "Hi there I have found lovely tenants for my house in less than 24 hours. Amazing!" Re house to let in Mytholmroyd.
Small Ads - "Choosing to advertise the house for rent on the Hebweb was incredibly effective. The perfect tenants were found within 48 hours"
Hebden Bridge Station car park to expand: Calderdale Council is working with Network Rail, which owns the land to the east of the existing station car park to create 46 extra places. Read more.
From Steve Farrell, now living in Mysore, India: "As someone who lives abroad, the Hebweb site has always been critical for keeping in touch 'back home' in Hebden. I've just needed to re-advertise my home for rent, so where to turn to? The Hebweb, of course. The Ad was up within minutes and there were 10 enquiries within 24 hours. Superb!" See Small Ads.
Ackley Bridge, Channel 4’s school drama, was filmed in Halifax, particularly the old Catholic High School, and in Hebden Bridge.
'Greatest Town in Europe' - as well as being the 4th funkiest town in the world, Culture Trip gives 12 Reasons why Hebden Bridge 'is known as the greatest town in Europe'. Read article
Far more than a large home page, the HebWeb is now an essential local resource. It has been around for nearly 23 years, covering local news, events, opinions, tourist info, small ads, where to stay and much, much more. Updated every day. Read more and go deeper into the HebWeb.
Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire crowned best place in the UK - 'Machine learning' used millions of data points to discover top locations. Read more
From the archive: five years ago today The Times listed the 30 coolest places to live in Britain. Number one was Hebden Bridge.
Hebden Bridge losing key shops? Following the news of the closure of Holts, our town's last greengrocers, comes the warning on this Forum thread that our last hardware shop, Bonsalls is struggling.
Signs of past times. Photo: HebWeb
Let's move to Hebden Bridge From the Guardian. If the roots of its liberal and creative image are a mystery, its appeal is obvious. See also: HebWeb report from Sept 2005
HebWeb Small Ads message: "Please could you close the advert? We've been overwhelmed with the response and quality of applicants! Thanks so much!"
Small Ads: Very good service, result achieved in only 4 days.
Some years ago in the Guardian, Martin Wainwright wrote, "Witness current comments on the community website, the Hebweb, which is one of the best of its kind in the country. No, world." 25 Oct 2012
Less than an hour from Hebden Bridge: try these halls, houses and galleries which many may not have heard about. Yet they are just on our doorstep. If you can’t find anything to do locally (see What’s On), have a look at this new HebWeb Feature.
Hebden Bridge, the UK's second city, BBC article by Evan Davis. "Hebden Bridge is an inverted city with a greenbelt centre and suburbs called Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool." Read the article
Small Ads: "House successfully rented through Hebweb. Fantastic posting wall!"
Selling my house on HebWeb was "extremely successful - I hope to complete on the sale in 2 weeks time, and I think I could have sold it a few times over."
Smll Ads: "I had so many wonderful responses to my ad for someone to help me re-organize my house post-flood, I wanted to employ everyone! Thank you." - Susan
Small Ads - I just wanted to let you know that through my small ad on your site I found my ideal new home, meeting all my requirements. Thank you very much for such a great resource
Small Ads: "Ad posted Monday, lease to be signed Saturday and tenant moving in Sunday. Thanks HebWeb."
"Unbelievable result Hebweb. So many enquiries in response to the small ad on your site and now have lovely new tenants. What a success - Thank you Hebweb."
HebWeb also available on the slightly shorter hebdenbridge.uk as well as hebdenbridge.co.uk
Happy Valley writer loves Calderdale. "Hebden Bridge is vibrant; there's a lot going on artistically and it's also got great galleries, pubs and restaurants." Sally Wainwright talks of our "dramatic and awe-inspiring" landscape and the influence of local historian Jill Liddington's Anne Lister book. Read her Guardian article
Guardian Northerner: What the UK can learn from Hebden Bridge? The BBC's Mind the Gap asks how London's success can be replicated elsewhere: Claire Donnelly argues that our small town could have the answer. Read more
"Many thanks Hebweb, the Small Ad asking for Volunteers to cook and help at Wadsworth Lunch Club has already had success. We now have someone coming to help cook. We'd still welcome a washer up, and occasional helpers please."
Small Ads - "We placed a job ad on the Hebweb recently, intending to keep it there for 2 weeks, but we had to take it down after 3 days due to the huge response generated"
Britain's favourite market town? Hebden Bridge has been shortlisted in the 'Britain's favourite market town' category in the BBC Countryfile Magazine Awards 2013. Read more
Guardian Northerner: Hebden Bridge the UK's coolest place? The Yorkshire Paradise has won its fourth accolade in a decade. Born, brought up and living here, Rachel Pickering is loyal, but has one or two cautionary thoughts.
Small Ads - "I am very pleased to say the response was terrific and both properties are now let." (Less than a week)
Small ads: "We've successfully rented our house. Thanks for an excellent service - I'll heartily recommend Hebweb, as our house was previously listed through an estate agent who didn't manage to get us a tenant in 3 months - through Hebweb we had 4 prospective tenants within a week."
More from Hebden Bridge Web
- Accommodation - from bed and breakfast to self catering, a range of places to stay in our area
- Archive - news and discussion going back to the mid 90s
- Bloggers and columns - a section where you can read regular pieces by selected local bloggers.
- Books - of interest to people living in Hebden Bridge and area
- Contact info
- Discussion Forum - hundreds of messages every year on matters of concern to those who live in Hebden Bridge and the surrounding hills, villages and valleys
- Emails - a directory of local email addresses
- Events: a selection of local events
- Features
- Five hundred words on Hebden Bridge - one of the 500 years of the Hebden pack horse bridge projects
- Green Pages
- Hebden Bridge info - some basic information about Hebden Bridge with links to some features which have been written about our town.
- Hebden Bridge 500 - celebrating 500 years of the bridge
- History pages - links to local history websites, together with a selection of articles remembering times past.
- Lives Remembered - thoughts and comments on the death of a selection of local people
- Mailing list
- Maps - several maps of the town and area, including Google maps.
- Neighbours/twins - links to websites of surrounding towns and our twin towns in France and Germany
- News: Dozens of news items are posted every month; many are unique to Hebden Bridge Web, coming from our growing number of correspondents. Others may also be covered elsewhere but can be found on HebWeb many days earlier.
- News Highlights of 2012
- Photos - many galleries of photos, including some by well known local photographers
- Planning Watch - details of controversial developments are posted here.
- Radio and video samples relating to our area
- Search HebWeb - search the thousands of news, features and discusssion on the entire Hebden Bridge Web in seconds.
- Small ads
- Tourist Info
- Useful sites - a range of site which we think local people will find useful, rail and bus timetables, ofsted reports, local doctors, etc.
- View from the Bridge
- Web Design from Pennine Pens
- Websites Listings A-Z: listings of a large selection of Hebden Bridge websites
- Websites List - by category: listings of a large selection of Hebden Bridge websites
- What's on/Local events: a selection of local events
- Where to stay - from bed and breakfast to self catering, a range of places to stay in our area
Please e-mail us to report dead links, inaccuracies, suggestions and comments. Thanks. The Hebden Bridge Web (Hebweb) is published by Pennine Pens and started in the summer of 1995.