Neighbourhood know-how, places and people
Location location
Who wouldn't want to live in a UNESCO World Heritage Site? And how easy it is. Saltaire was a model town ahead of its time. Mill owner and philanthropist Titus Salt created his village between 1851 and 1876 to make the living easy for his workers. He wanted them to enjoy the freshest air they could, grow food for themselves on allotments and better themselves through education and cultural advancement. He gave them good housing, pensions and rent-free almshouses. Today Saltaire is a thriving and genuine community with an arty feel and a spirit of style and independence.
Not the easiest place to get to in the mash of ring roads around Bradford and all bit snarly. But your satnav will help. However, there's a railway station right by Salts Mill with trains to and from Leeds and Bradford a ten-15 minute journey each. If you're driving to Salts Mill there's ample parking.
Bag a property
Styles of houses built in Titus Salt's time reflected the status of workers at the mill. The grid layout of Saltaire had a mix of property styles which have changed little. There are neat terraces in their soft yellow brick, all nicely maintained. Grand semis were home to mill executives in their day.
Today Saltaire property prices are at a premium, reflecting the prestigious historic area and Salts Mill on your doorstep - but a short hop from Saltaire to Shipley reveals a different property market again. You can find grand terraces, new builds and period character places with loads of doer-up potential.
Explore
So much to discover. It's very easy to lose a day here. Salts Mill is the place to devour the works of artist David Hockney in one of the largest permanent exhibitions of his work, always scented by an abundance of lilies. Salts Mill has a heavenly book shop and acres of space to lose yourself.
Naturally the mill runs by water - the Leeds Liverpool Canal. Walk or cycle the towpath or use Saltaire as the starting point to a section of The Dales High Way which crosses over to Ilkey. Nearby there's Roberts Park and the Shipley Glen Tramway.
Café & Cocktails
Salts Diner in the mill is a funky and popular eating place with daily specials, good coffee, pizza and cake.
In Victoria Road. Saltaire's main street, there some must-try independents such as the new and very cool-looking Scandi café Nordish for an essential cinnamon bun or salmon gravadlax. Yum. The buzzy Don't Tell Titus bar offers a challenge to Titus Salt's abstemious nature. Grab a fabulous pie at Wild's or some on-point coffee at giddy arts. A bottle of Saltaire Blonde beer from award-winning Saltaire Brewery is one to quench the thirst. Massarellas coffee shop will warm a cold day with homemade carrot and parsnip soup with orange and ginger cream.
Retail therapy
Saltaire deserves a real shout out for the creative independents - but their life has been made tougher by the council's decision to shut public loos and a tourist info office in the local car park which has really impacted on footfall, says Kim Bunton who runs My Vibrant Home.
It's really worth visiting the shops - they're very individual and full of lovely well-sourced things - ceramics, stationery, gifts. Kim's shop is great for her hand-made lampshades and painted furniture.
Rad Studio and the aforementioned giddy arts for prints, books and pots. At Salts Mill indulge your designer furniture dreams at The Home which sells iconic pieces such as Eames loungers and Hans J Wegner chairs. At the other extreme the Saltaire Vintage Shop offers up an antique jam pan for £30 or a fabulous antique linen map of Yorkshire. Cyclists out there will swoon over the vast All Terrain Cycles Bike Store by the mill which is also where you find free taster music lessons and myriad instruments at Yorkshire Music School and The Early Music Shop.
