| An article describing my hometown Keighley with | | | | bicycle track with gradients which my 4 year old |
| details about living and working in the town and | | | | grandson loves to skateboard on. |
| tourism. | | | | Nights Out |
| 'The dark satanic mill town of Keighley' I have never | | | | There has always been a lot of pubs in the area, |
| forgotten that headline from a national newspaper in | | | | maybe because we have an award winning brewery |
| the late 60s. The article was about the Keighley | | | | in the town. If you want to eat out there are many |
| rugby league team who are now called Keighley | | | | restaurants offering different cultural meals. Nightclubs |
| Cougars. | | | | are a bit thin on the ground with just 2 catering for |
| Back then wherever you looked on the horizon you | | | | different age ranges and they aren't that good. |
| could see mill chimneys towering over the rest of the | | | | However there are plenty of good clubs within |
| town. The mill chimneys were gradually demolished | | | | travelling distance in Bradford, Leeds and even |
| and now as Keighley sits in a valley you can see | | | | further afield at Wakefield. |
| fields and trees in the distance from almost any | | | | Tourism |
| viewpoint. | | | | Keighley is part of Bronte Country, only a couple of |
| Keighley in the West Riding of Yorkshire was a huge | | | | miles from Haworth where the famous Bronte |
| manufacturer of textiles, but now the mill buildings | | | | literature family lived. Apart from traditional means, |
| that have not burnt down or been vandalised have | | | | you can travel to Oxenhope via Haworth on the |
| been converted into smaller units offering a wide | | | | Keighley and Worth Valley Line from the Keighley |
| variety of businesses or homes. | | | | station on a steam train in the summer. It is a |
| The population was over 51,000 at the 2001 census | | | | heritage line and has been used for several film |
| and apparently is the third largest civil parish in | | | | locations that include the Railway Children, Yanks and |
| England. Approximately 18% of the population are of | | | | the film of Pink Floyds 'The Wall' musical. |
| ethnic minorities, adding a multi cultural aspect to the | | | | At the first stop 300 yards from where I live in |
| town and some fine Indian, Italian and Chinese | | | | Ingrow there is a Museum of Rail Travel. It is also the |
| restaurants. Keighley is pronounced 'Keeth lee' but to | | | | starting place for Thomas the Tank Engine days out. |
| the inhabitants annoyance many people outside | | | | I took my grandchildren last summer and they could |
| Keighley insist on calling the town Keeley. | | | | clamber on board Thomas and pull the whistle. There |
| Transport | | | | was a show performed several times during the day |
| Travelling to and around Keighley is not difficult. We | | | | for the children and several stalls. After the show we |
| have a train station and an award winning new closed | | | | were able to travel on steam trains all day for one |
| in bus station in the town centre with regular | | | | low cost fee. At each stop there were more shows |
| transport in and around the area and easy access to | | | | and stalls making it a very good day out. Towards |
| many cities. Bradford is just 10 miles away and Leeds | | | | Christmas there is a Santa Special steam train day. |
| 20 miles away and of course the Leeds/Bradford | | | | Haworth attracts a lot of American and Japanese |
| airport is easily accessible. | | | | tourists who want to steep themselves in the history |
| There are lots of reliable taxi firms in Keighley and I | | | | of the Brontes. There is a Bronte museum up a |
| have found that with using a combination of different | | | | steep cobbled street, the Bronte Waterfall and of |
| transport facilities and on foot I really do not need | | | | course the moors where the fictional Cathy and |
| my own transport because everything is within easy | | | | Heathcliffe roamed. There are lots of antique shops |
| reach. It also works out cheaper than having my own | | | | and tea rooms and some good hotels. |
| petrol guzzling transport. | | | | Skipton, 'The Gateway To The Dales' is 10 miles |
| Shopping | | | | away. A good starting point for hiking holidays for |
| We have a modern shopping centre and several | | | | those who want to enjoy the beautiful countryside. |
| industrial estates offering just about everything that | | | | Skipton also has one of the most complete medieval |
| you might want to buy. If I want to buy some new | | | | castles in the country and is over 900 years old. |
| clothes that are a little bit different I make a day out | | | | Historical re-enactment events, archery and jousting |
| of it and take a 20 minute train journey to Leeds and | | | | are often hosted at Skipton Castle. |
| either shop in the city centre or visit the White Rose | | | | 10 miles in the other direction is the city of Bradford |
| Centre. | | | | where you will find the National Media Museum, which |
| Keighley has a permanent closed in market and quite | | | | is the most visited museum outside London. Bradford |
| regularly we have visiting continental markets offering | | | | hosts several festivals, including the Bradford Festival |
| a wider range of goods. | | | | in June and the Bradford Mela which is the largest |
| Leisure | | | | festival of its type outside Asia. There are 4 theatres |
| We have several parks in the area with lots of green | | | | in Bradford and for those who enjoy plays it isn't |
| space for children to run about on and safe fenced | | | | difficult to get to Harrogate and their playhouse. |
| off playgrounds, bowling greens etc. We have a | | | | Living In Keighley |
| leisure centre in Victoria Park where you will find a | | | | Although Keighley has often been knocked in the |
| modern swimming pool with slide and a fitness centre. | | | | press and by some inhabitants I do not think that it |
| Victoria Park hosts our yearly gala during the summer | | | | is a bad place to live. I feel safe in my home and |
| and occasional visiting circuses and fairs. Within the | | | | walking around the streets and I have easy access |
| park you will find Victoria Hall where functions and | | | | to everything that I want. Housing is inexpensive |
| gigs are often held. | | | | compared to many other places in the UK. You can |
| There is a museum at Cliff Hall in the grounds of Cliff | | | | still get a 2 bedroom terrace for less than |
| Castle where exhibitions are often held. For families | | | | £100,000 or any other type of dwelling at |
| there is a fenced off playground and a café. | | | | comparatively low prices. |
| Picnic tables are provided for those like my | | | | I have never found it difficult to get employment in |
| grandchildren who prefer to picnic in between running | | | | or around Keighley and the employment opportunities |
| around. There was a small zoo with guinea pigs and a | | | | are diverse. The inhabitants are friendly and very |
| few different birds the last time I went in the | | | | much down to earth. We speak with a Yorkshire |
| summer. Years ago there were monkeys, but now all | | | | accent that is not as broad as some of the |
| of the monkeys in the area seem to reside at a | | | | surrounding rural areas, I certainly do not say 'ee bah |
| house next door to my mother. Over 50 would you | | | | gum' on a regular basis! |
| believe! | | | | The area in and around Keighley offers much more |
| In Lund park you will find 2 playgrounds, one for older | | | | than I have mentioned but hopefully this article gives |
| children and a fenced off area for the younger ones. | | | | you a good idea of my hometown. |
| There is a bowling green and a putting green and a | | | | |