Large Fire at La Perla Restaurant

The Fire Service and the Council are asking people to avoid the area. Some roads in the centre are closed. 10 fire engines. See HebWeb news for more info, Local Giving Appeal and media links. Click photo to enlarge. 2 Aug 2022

Covid numbers falling: 14 cases in Hebden Bridge (151 per 100k), 4 cases in Mytholmroyd (47 per 100K) and 18 cases in Tod (108 per 100k) for the week to 29 July. The rate per 100K for Calderdale as a whole is 116 and for England 115. Read more. 3 Aug 2022

37 degrees in Hebden Bridge at 3pm, 19 July. The last time the HebWeb reported such a high temperature, apart from 18 July, also 33 degrees, was 25 July 2019. See 2019 report.

Yorkshire Water sees highest water use in 15 years They provided more than 1.56 billion litres of water on Monday – which is around 260 million litres more than usual - enough to supply the whole of York and Leeds. Read more. 19 July

Small Ads messages received: "Had an amazing response to our House to Let ad!" "HebWeb ads magic at it again! Please can you take the VW Beetle ad down." "Please take this ad down as we have been indundated, and now have the perfect person"

Ten Years Ago - Just over two weeks after the 'worst for 50 years' flood, came a second one, on Monday 9 July. Water fell down the hillside through every valley, track, and hole in wall, much of it gathering in the centre of Hebden Bridge. Read HebWeb report from 2012 with media links and photos.

Discussion topics Victoria Road Flats development, towpath, access for disabled, geese, Boots, drinkers taking over the Square and more. Read more

Calderdale to pay care staff living wage And it will be the first authority in Yorkshire to do so. Hebden Bridge Calderdale Councillor, Cllr Josh Fenton-Glynn has told the HebWeb, "Care work is skilled work. It's time we recognised that." Read more 2 July

Job Vacancies: Hebden Bridge Town Hall are looking to recruit one or more Duty Officers to join their staff team. More info. 4 July

Try out an e-bike: A new family-friendly festival takes place in Mytholmroyd on Sun 3 July. The event will give people chance to try out electric bikes free of charge on a traffic-free section of Cragg Road, the longest continuous ascent in the country. Read more

Walking football sessions kick off in Mytholmroyd. Walking football is one of the fastest growing parts of the beautiful game encouraging older players to keep going, but at a slower pace. Read more.

Ten years ago on Friday evening, 22 June, Hebden Bridge and the Upper Valley area suffered the first of two severe summer floods. See photos and read the HebWeb report from 2012.

Small Ads "I have now found someone. Hebweb worked really well for me - so much interest." See Small Ads page

'Has my Yorkshire grit held me back?' 'I'll 'appen that's it.' Mark Piggott, who grew up in Hebden Bridge, comments on a recent report on regional accents and the 'serious social, economic and educational harm' they do. Read more. 15 June

CND vigil: Today, the Calder Valley CND group held a vigil at the crossroads in Hebden Bridge to "protest the shameful war in Ukraine" and call for support for its people.

The Great Get Together on Saturday, 25 June in Calder Holmes Park with The Great Tea Party, The Great Hebden Bridge Bake Off, The Human Library and lots more. See What's on.

Save the bees: A giant 195ft-wide piece of land art has been created opposite the turning circle by artists from Sand in your Eyes to highlight the threat to bees from parasites and pesticides. See BBC report 20 May

HebWeb Small Ads: Ad worked again, so can you please take my ad down. See Small Ads

Elections: all 3 seats go to Labour
Cllr Sarah Courtney has been re-elected Councillor for the Calder Ward (covering Hebden Bridge) with over 3000 votes - more than any other candidate in Calderdale.

Cllr Scott Patient has been re-elected Labour Councillor for the Luddendenfoot Ward, (including Mytholmroyd). Cllr Helen Brundell has been elected for Labour in Todmorden. And Calderdale now has its first Green councillor. See details.

Small Ads - Message received: "We've filled the room. Thanks for your help. Great response as always!"

Call for 'right to grow' food in UK's unloved public spaces. Todmorden's Incredible Edible says new law could give people better health, wellbeing and access to fruit and vegetables. See Guardian article. 3 May

Ray Riches has died. 1946-2022. Former teacher at Calder High and for many years active in the Little Theatre and as St George in the Pace Egg play. Pictured left above in 2011. Cheers were given for him at last week's performances by the Heptonstall Players. 19 April

Pace Egg Play back live for the first time since 2019. Good Friday. Click image to enlarge. More photos and info

Green Pages Archive 2000 - 2005, a collaboration between the HebWeb, Frogs Design, the HB Times and the former Alternative Technology Centre, now once again available - see here.

Demolition of former weaving shed and new carpark at Calder Mill, Stubbing Holme Road, Hebden Bridge. See Planning Watch. 4 April

Heptonstall Postmaster passes Post Office to Community Community ownership 'best possible result', says retiring Heptonstall Postmaster. Tony Spink is retiring after 22 years, with the local community banding together to buy his branch. Read more 11 April

Council success in Climate Engagement bid Hebden Royd and Todmorden Town Councils have been successful in applying for a new training and support scheme that will help local authorities deliver projects on climate change. Read more 22 March

Vigil for Ukraine Members and supporters of CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) gathered at the main crossroads in Hebden Bridge. Report and more photos 28 Feb

Ukraine solidarity in Hebden Bridge - The Ukraine Flag colours appear on the electric substation where visitors approach our town. Photo: Paul Clarke

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

The January Dip on New Year's Day at Gaddings Dam and elsewhere - raising money for Crisis and to support those facing the worst forms of homelessness. Read more and see photos and video.

Former Tory candidate for Calder Valley now Foreign Secretary. Liz Truss lost to Labour's Christine McCafferty in May 2005 but according to this Daily Mail report, had local Tories known of her affair with MP Mark Field, she would never have been selected.

Mytholmroyd Station Partnership - plaque unveiled the blue plaque for the Railway Heritage Trust Award was unveiled at the beginning of this month, after being delayed by Covid. Read more and see photos

Walking around Tod - "The industrial past blends with nature, the community runs on kindness and it's home to England's highest beach" See Guardian article

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

Message received to say thanks: "Brill. Where would our town be without Hebweb!"

Heptonstall: "The beautiful medieval village an hour's drive from Manchester with no cars on the cobbled streets" - see article in Manchester Evening News 28 June 2021

Small Ads: Message received: "Delighted by the response and now happily accommodated."

Yorkshire Water halts grouse shooting on its moorland above Hebden Bridge, and is seeking a partnership with a conservation agency or a sustainable farming operation for the future management of Baitings, Turley Holes and Higher House Moor. See Yorkshire Post article

Coiners' story set to be BBC Drama, based upon local author Benjamin Myers' book, The Gallows Pole. UK filmmaker Shane Meadows is to make the drama with UK-Irish producers Element Pictures. Read full article in Screen Daily

Climate Action Roadshow Slow The Flow has just 2 weeks of events left in their Climate Action Roadshow which continues this week. More info about the events. 6 Aug

Steampunk Weekend, 7 Aug 2022.
Photo: HebWeb. Click to enlarge

Vintage Car Weekend this Saturday and Sunday, 6-7 August. Calder Holmes park. See What's on

Hebden Bridge traffic and carbon emissions set to increase argues Friends of the Earth campaigner Anthony Rae. He makes the case that the proposed A646 corridor improvement programme will increase traffic and carbon emissions. See this Forum message. 28 July

Can You Hear Me Mother? – 'The Art of the Monologue' was the subject of a recent talk for the University of the 3rd Age. David Skillen, the speaker, reviewed the history of the monologue and gave examples, including Stanley Holloway. Read more 29 July

Preparing for flash flooding and thanking flood wardens for the past 10 years. Sudden and heavy downpours are more likely in the summer months and can rapidly overwhelm or block drainage systems, increasing the risk of flash flooding. Read more 14 July

Little Park closed as controversial development continues. Council plans to re-open the park after re-surfacing work. See discussion

Small Ads: "We have now found a home.  Thank you for a fantastic service."

Rail Strike: BBC Look North report the strike from Hebden Bridge. David Fletcher condemns the rail workers as extremely selfish while the RMT Union warns that job cuts will make the railways unsafe. See this 3-4 minute BBC report. 23 June

See HebWeb Forum about the Look North report

Clean Air Day Local people were encouraged to take simple steps to help cut local air pollution, as part of Calderdale Council's support for national Clean Air Day on Thursday 16 June.  Read more

Swimming - natural lido: with fading prospects of a pool in Hebden Bridge or Mytholmroyd, local swimmers may be interested in plans for a natural lido just a few miles away, on the moors above Oxenhope. See Guardian article. Read more. 8 June

Forum discussion Platinum jubilee in Hebden Bridge, drinkers taking over the square, and mowing wild flowers. See Forum. 2 June

Survivors of Torture £1213 was raised for Survivors of Torture (STAF) at a Cream Tea and Plant Sale on 22 May. Organisers wish to thank to all those who came. 27 May 2022

Widdop moorland blaze More than 50 firefighters managed to put out the fire after a short while, yesterday evening. See BBC report. 16 May

Heptonstall Pace Egg raised £1225 for charity. Half was donated to The Royal Halifax Hospital Children's Ward. And half to Save the Children's Ukraine and Afghanistan Appeals. Pace Egg photos and info

Spaw Sunday Celebration and Community Picnic was on Sunday 8 May in Cragg Vale, starting at St John's Church for the procession, short walk, picnic, music and dancing. From medieval times to the 19th century, many hundreds would join in. More info and background.

Wainsgate concerts The 2022 Wainsgate Concert Series gets underway the weekend after Easter with a series of events. Read more

Filming the next series of Happy Valley

MP believes PM should go: It's reported by Sky and Channel 4 News that Craig Whittaker, Tory MP for Calder Valley, believes Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak should resign over partygate, but will not be writing a no-confidence letter to the 1922 Committee. 7.30pm, 13 April 2022

Artists In Exile The HebWeb has been advised that Artists In Exile urgently need a sponsor for a Ukrainian couple who both work in the film industry. She works with  film festivals and in project management. He makes music videos. More info 11 April

Small Ads successes: "We have been successful at finding accommodation through Hebweb" and "Successful sale to someone who will enjoy using the van. Excellent result from Hebweb."

Small Ads "We were overwhelmed with responses!" See Small Ads page

£2 Trillion for Storm Arwen damage Gareth Hughes from Hebden Bridge has received a compensation cheque for more than £2 trillion in what Northern Powergrid has called an "oversight". See ITV report

Flooding, fluoride and changing Hebden Bridge - See discusssion

Gibson Mill, Hardcastle Crags,
early morning - click to enlarge

'Grotty' trains with 'filthy' seats Reporter Vicki Grimshaw spent over 24 hours travelling on our railway, with passengers complaining about delays and high costs. A man described the trains as 'a nightmare' Read Daily Mirror report

Pennine Finch endangered or Twite is on the brink of extinction. Burning of the moors is condemned in the report into a bird that once thrived around here. See Guardian article 6 Nov

It Takes A Flood… ITV programme shown on Tuesday evening (2 Nov) features Hebden Bridge, our community Town Hall and Khalsa Aid, all towards the end of the programme. Watch now

Former Mayor praises health workers In this article, Nader Fekri, former Mayor of Hebden Royd and Calderdale, explains why he's supporting the Fair Pay For Nursing campaign after meeting RCN members at a recent rally, and commends the great support health workers gave his father who has died from Covid. Read article

Jude Walker completes 200 mile walk to Downing Street by handing in a letter to the Prime Minister calling for charges on carbon emissions. See this YouTube video and sign petition  15 Aug

CROWS - repairing and improving our local footpaths

Volunteers from CROWS - our local Community Rights of Way Service  - continue to improve and repair footpaths in our area and the rest of the Upper Valley. See video and read about some of their recent work

Small Ads response received: "I have found a tenant. Many thanks for this fantastic service."

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

Misty Morning, with thanks to photographer, Andrew Smith. 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.

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.

Crystal Wilde: Finding peace in hippie Hebden Bridge: "Hippies, hikers, kooky cafes, drugs and lesbians: my home town of Hebden Bridge is notorious for many reasons, some more surprising than others." See feature in The Independent

Small Ads response received: "Can you please remove my ad for the house at Tod as it's now been let, the response has been amazing"

"HebWeb is our 'go to resource' that allows us to stay up to speed with all things Hebden Bridge." - from message received this week.

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

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

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

Hidden in the valleys around Hebden Bridge

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."

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)

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.

 

"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.

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

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."