Covid numbers locally: 25 March - 3 cases in Hebden Bridge, (33 per 100k), 0-2 in Mytholmroyd and 17 in Tod (100 per 100k) for the week to 20 March. There were 37 new cases, the largest number for over a month, in Calderdale (89 per 100k) as a whole for the past 24 hours. For the 7 days to 20 March the rate per 100k for England was 56, down from 677 per 100k on 9 Jan. More info. (25 March)

Eat Together Stay Home - Calder Community Cares was set up over a year ago to swiftly respond to the needs of the community and the impact of Covid-19. It has grown to an army of volunteers who provide practical and social support. Read more (11 March)

Snowy Canal at Hebden Bridge, February 2021, with thanks to photographer, Andrew Smith. Click image to enlarge. More photos from Andrew Smith and others. (12 Feb)

Heavy snow blocked most travel on Tuesday, 2 Feb. National Rail tweeted that there were no trains through Hebden Bridge because of "multiple trees blocking lines", and no replacement bus service. (2 Feb)

HebWeb Forum: felling beech trees. Is it "blind adherence to outdated National Trust policies" or will this "Active management of woodlands ensure a wide range of species, genetic diversity and age structure." Read the continuing discussion (1 Feb)

Response to Storm Christoph - Slow The Flow Yet another major storm which, due to effects of our changing climate, are becoming more intense and significantly more frequent. In their reponse to Storm Christophe, Slow the Flow argue for investment in the prevention of flooding, not just dealing with the impact once flood water gets into our towns and villages. Read report (26 Jan)

Covid vaccination: Calderdale Council have tweeted, "Every elderly care home in Calderdale has now had their first COVID19 vaccination."

Town Council announces High Hirst Wood Meadow Project: The Town Council has leased some of the land between High Hirst allotments and Sandy Gate to utilise the land for the benefit of the community and the natural world. Read more (20 Jan)

Work continues on woodland at Hardcastle Crags: Contractors will be working to fell trees throughout Hardcastle Crags over the next few months. And the Crags management say that "Thousands of new trees will be planted to help create a healthier woodland." See press release from the National Trust (18 Jan)

Around 700 homes had no gas in the Hebden Bridge, Old Town, Pecket Well area during the cold weekend of 15-17 Jan. "The loss of supply has been caused by water finding its way into the local gas network, and then freezing." See latest from Northern Gas Most homes have now had their gas restored. (updated 18 Jan)

Misty Morning, with thanks to photographer, Andrew Smith. Click image to enlarge. (12 Jan)

Could you be a local COVID-19 Champion? A volunteering scheme to support local communities during the Coronavirus pandemic has been rolled out across Calderdale to support those impacted by Coronavirus, with training is delivered by three retired medical professionals. Read more (9 Jan)

Crags Beech Trees - Slow the Flow has defended the felling of a percentage of beech trees in Hardcastle Crags. See Forum discussion for their reasons. (9 Jan)

Snow covers Hebden Bridge and the Calder Valley. Thanks to Jenny Slaughter for this photo of Stoodley Pike, taken from the opposite side of the valley, above Hebden Bridge. (29 Dec)

Small Ads Message received 31 Dec. "Lots of response, as usual from hebweb, and found a great tenant...many thanks, keep up the good work!!"

Boxing Day 2015 - Five years ago the rain didn't stop and our town was devastated by floods. See reports from back then on the HebWeb Boxing Day Flood feature

Christmas Eve Carols in the Square 2004 - click photo to enlarge

Choosing furniture for an English country garden There are two very distinct types of English country garden, the more formal type that is usually found in the grounds of a stately home and the informal English cottage garden. Read more (18 Dec)

Ice Post Box comes to Hebden Royd Hebden Royd Town Council were unable to host the annual Christmas Lights Switch On this year, but wanted to find a way to do something special for the children in the community. A conversation with Sand in Your Eye led to the idea of funding a magic post box made of ice from the North Pole. Read more

Fox and Goose Covid-19 Crowdfund Appeal - our local, co-operatively run, community pub is seeking funds to build heated structures in the extended beer garden to ensure they can accommodate enough customers when they reopen. Read more (14 Dec)

Christmas Trees at Hardcastle Crags The sustainably sourced, British-grown Christmas trees will be available to buy from the National Trust Midgehole Road car park on weekends from 5th December. More info (1 Dec)

Handmade Parade: We are Here - a collaborative film made by over 1400 participants, from the UK and further afield. A story of hope and healing for 2020, brought to life by handmade artwork from all over the world. See video - updated 2 Dec

Hebden Bridge e-bike firm featured on BBC Delivering everything from vintage clothes to cheese, the cargo electric bike company Cargodale, set up during lockdown, is seeing its trade soar. See BBC video (17 Nov)

Lockdown Street Art, Valley Road, Hebden Bridge, Sunday, 15 November 2020. Click image to enlarge.

HebWeb Small Ads - received today: Please take this ad down as we have been indundated, and now have the perfect person.

Free School Meals: Our MP for the Calder Valley, Craig Whittaker voted against funding free school meals over the school holidays until Easter 2021. More info

Roe deer near Heptonstall. Click to enlarge.
Photo with thanks to Andrew Smith

Extra local restrictions to continue throughout Calderdale, including Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd and Tod, the Government announced Friday 25 Sept. More info.

Hebden Bridge Street Art - at the former Hole in the Wall as you approach the old bridge.

Hidden in the valleys around Hebden Bridge

Artist "John the Barber" who cut hair (and painted) for many years at his premises in Innovation, Hebden Bridge has sadly died, having stopped work through illness earlier this year. See this video portrait from 6 years ago. Photo: Bruce Cutts. Add your memories to the Lives Remembered page. (10 Aug)

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.

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."

Flood News During Storm Ciara, more than 100mm of rain fell between 11pm on Saturday 8 and 11am on Sunday 9 Feb - the second highest flood event recorded in the Calder Valley, second only to the Boxing Day flooding of 2015 - more than a month's rainfall over 48 hours (129.8mm). Read latest news.

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.

Pace Egg Play 2021 online - more information, links and photos.

Duck Race 2021 – Update from Duck Farm This Easter Monday, the annual event, organised by the Rotary Club of Hebden Bridge, is having to be a virtual event from a secret location, because of the Covid restrictions. More info

Lloyd George, Spanish Flu, and the 1918 General Election in the Calder Valley. In 1918, Lloyd George was already planning to fight a General Election as ‘the man who won the war.’ As Alan Fowler, former lecturer in economic and social history at Manchester Metropolitan University, explained to a Zoom meeting of Local History Society, things did not turn out quite as he planned. Read report

Lit & Sci AGM 11am, 20 March via Zoom. More help needed. See What's on for more info

2021 Census and help for local residents On 21 March 2021, the Office for National Statistics (ONS will once again be calling upon the people of England and Wales to complete a census form. The census is vital to understanding the makeup of a population, as well as highlighting changes in the past decade. Read more (4 March)

Small Ads: message received 16 Feb: 'Could you take down my ad? I had an overwhelming response. Hebweb is fantastic! Thank you.'

Online quiz for Twinning Society and councillors: Last Saturday evening Town Clerk Jason Boom co-ordinated the Hebden Bridge Twinning Society online quiz with an entertaining list of questions from Cllr Pat Fraser. Read more (11 Feb)

A Flood alert was issued at 10.35am, Sat 6 Feb by the Environment Agency for the Upper River Calder area, and is no longer in force. (updated 7 Feb)

Corridor improvement programme will cause more road traffic in and around Hebden Bridge, Council admit. See this HebWeb Forum thread (3 Feb)

Hebden Bridge woman swims in frozen lakes every day to help homeless. Professional artist Rachel Bull has swum in the icy waters around Hebden Bridge every day in January. Read report (1 Feb)

Brearley Fields flood overflow does its job Storm Christope last week turned Brearley Fields into a lake. The new measures will benefit birds, fish and other local wildlife, attract visitors to the area and provide educational opportunities. Read more

Hebden Royd Council to fund Citizens Advice Adviser The Town Council are funding a CAB Adviser to ensure anyone that is struggling in the community can access the help and support that they need. More info (25 Jan)

The Old Bridge and Wavy Steps
at 1.15pm Weds, 20 Jan

Storm Christoph hit the Calder Valley from 19-21 January. Once again, our area faced serious risk of further flooding, from heavy rain falling on already saturated ground, along with melting snow. The level of the river peaked Weds afternoon at 5:15pm at 1.94m and was down to 1.32m by 11pm. (updated 21 Jan)

Tree Felling on a Commercial Scale "Mr Henry (Lord Savile's brother) proudly told me over two decades ago that when the land was originally given to the Trust it was on the strict instruction that they would never cut a living tree." See forum discussion (16 Jan)

Cloud and snow mingle over Hebden Bridge. Thanks to photographers, Andrew Deas, and Sara Swindells for sending their photos to the HebWeb. Click on photos to enlarge. (15 Jan)

Cars before people, cars before homes - discussion continues about how current Calderdale proposals "will increase traffic, traffic speed and pollution in Hebden Bridge. See the latest discusssion. (updated 12 Jan)

"Pecket Well Clough destruction" - "The beech trees are beautiful and it would be very sad to see them go. It also seems perverse in a time when we need to have more trees to reduce CO2 that they would take down those magnificent trees" - See discussion forum (5 Jan)

Frank McManus has died aged 93 - former councillor, and Labour Party activist and letter writer. More on this Lives Remembered page. (3 Jan)

Tier 3 As more areas around the country are made Tier 4, Hebden Bridge, the Calder Valley and West Yorkshire remain in Tier 3. (30 Dec)

Magical scenes light up Town Hall - with colourful animations featuring magical scenes including snowy rooftops, a sparkling Christmas tree and a glimpse of the main man himself - Santa and his reindeer. Come and see after sunset until 19 Dec. More info

Linden Mill plans - home of the ArtsMill and more could be turned into 18 flats. See Forum and Planning Watch. (16 Dec)

Hebden Royd Heroes award winners The awards shine a spotlight on the everyday heroes, individuals and groups, who have gone above and beyond to deliver the highest level of support and assistance within their community during 2020. Read more

Christmas Tree in the Square

'Hebden Bridge leads the way in a bid to beat lockdown shopping slump' according to this ITV news report. Around 70 traders have signed up to 'totallylocally'- a unique scheme which allows shoppers to buy online from local shops all on the same website. See the ITV video (19 Nov)

Town Council backs Marcus Rashford campaign to end child food poverty. Hebden Royd Town Council unanimously passed a motion at the Full Council meeting formally supporting the campaign led by Marcus Rashford to extend free school meals. Read more. (6 Nov)

Director of Public Health Calderdale, Debs Harkins tweeted Sunday, 25 October at 6.07pm: "Calderdale C19 case rate per 100,000 for tests carried out 7 days prior to 20/10 was 378 rise from 354 on 19/10. This is very serious"

The canal, Hebden Bridge. Click to enlarge.
Photo with thanks to Andrew Smith

Small Ad house sale response: "offer received within a week of listing on HebWeb. Brilliant, thank you!"

Flood Alleviation Scheme for Hebden Bridge. The Environment Agency is working with Calderdale Council to design and build a Flood Alleviation Scheme for Hebden Bridge. More info

No new cases in the Upper Calder Valley were reported for the fourth week in a row, according to figures released Thursday, 27 August - no new cases in Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd or Todmorden between 16 and 22 Aug. More info

A Contemporary Home in the English Countryside - Stunning views, quiet road and peaceful surroundings. For many, living in the English countryside is the dream. This article explore the possibilities of creating a contemporary home in areas of the countryside. Read more

HebWeb Small Ads positive feedback: 1. "Brilliant as ever. Thank you. Ads fulfilled". 2. "We've been inundated with enquiries from potential tenants."

The Guardian reports that Calderdale "has the sixth highest infection rate in England". The total number of cases in Calderdale is now 991, including 207 new cases in July. More info

Calderdale hit by new Covid-19 restrictions. Separate households are not be able to meet indoors from 31 July.

Lives Remembered - George Guest remembered by Matt Hilton.

New car park at Stubbing Holme, 44 new parking places at Hebden Bridge Station, 200 places at Mytholmroyd Station and the abolition of the proposed one-way system in Hebden Bridge are the latest changes announced by Calderdale Council.

Raw sewage discharged into rivers Storm overflow spilled into the Hebden Water 27 times in 2019 (65 hours) and 60 times into Cragg Brook (417 hours). There were significant spills into the Calder at Cornholme, Todmorden and Brearley. See this interactive map.

Hebden Bridge Flood alleviation work delayed: Work is now expected to start in summer 2021, but it is not expected to be completed before summer 2024, taking three instead of the planned two years. Read BBC news report

Wild garlic in May: many of our wooded valleys are revealing seas of wild garlic. Click photo to enlarge.

HebWeb Small Ads: "We've had lots of responses and have found some great tenants."

Bluebells: Our valley woods swathed in bluebells. Click photo to enlarge.

Channel 4 News - report from locked-down Hebden Bridge, on Weds, 8 April 2020.

Before the bug: In the absence of very much news during the lockdown, the HebWeb is taking the opportunity to celebrate our area by digging into our archives. Most days, our home page will be updated with HebWeb articles from the same date from the past 25 years. See articles posted since 1 April

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."

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)

HebWeb Forum - opinion is divided on the proposed "traffic improvements."

HebWeb Small Ads - The HebWeb is brilliant. Found tutor within 3 days. The response was excellent as was the calibre of the candidates.

HebWeb coverage of the 2019 General Election is at caldervalley.org.uk along with info on general elections back to 1997.

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

Yorkshire Post on Hebden Bridge: "A Yorkshire town with an independent streak… Hebden is a striking town in an even more striking location."

Mytholmroyd this morning, Sun 9 Feb. Posted in Hebden Bridge Flood Action Group Facebook group

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

Small Ads - "We filled the vacancy thanks to the Hebweb, brilliant service"

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)

"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

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." )

Small Ads: "Hebweb scores again! I have sold my electric lawnmower today"

HebWeb Small Ads We've been overwhelmed with the response and quality of applicants! Thanks so much!

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

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)

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!"

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

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."

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.

Small Ads: "Amazing but my house in Tod got rented out within 30 minutes after putting the house on Hebweb."

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"

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.

'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: The Times listed the 30 coolest places to live in Britain. Number one was Hebden Bridge.

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!"

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.

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

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."