Huddersfield City Guide

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