A forward looking town with a rich history
Sporting history
Huddersfield was the birthplace of Rugby League. In August 1895 a meeting at the George Hotel voted to split from Rugby Union and create a far superior version of the sport. There are facilities around the town for just about every sport you might fancy, including a couple of challenging golf courses, and some glorious countryside to explore on foot or by bike.
Hotel plans
The George Hotel meanwhile was bought by a dentist-turned-entrepreneur a couple of years ago and plans have been submitted for it to be reborn as a 30-bed hotel, creating more than 50 jobs. If the plans are approved, work could start soon.
Celebrity links
Mirfield-born Star Trek star Sir Patrick Stewart is chancellor of the University of Huddersfield which is the town’s biggest employer and has around 20,000 students.
Shopping
Huddersfield has everything a shopper could want, from charming independent boutiques to high street names. You’ll also find Peters department store which has been run by three generations of the Whittle family since it opened its doors in 1982. Most of the town’s shops are within an easy walk of each other and there are two covered shopping centres; the Victorian Byram Arcade and the Kingsgate Shopping Centre.
Musical town
Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival celebrated an international collaboration with the Mexican Festival supported by the British Council. A concert featuring the work of British composers James Dillon, Rebecca Saunders and Matt Wright, curated by HCMF’s artistic director Graham McKenzie, took place in Mexico City. Renowned Mexican ensemble Cepromusic performed before a talk given by Graham McKenzie and James Dillon. This year’s HCMF takes place from November 20th-29th. Keep track of programme news and events at www.hcmf.co.uk
