Welcome to the award winning Ilkley Chat!

Norton & Townsend, the bespoke tailoring house known for its expertly crafted suits and personalised service, has relocated from Ben Rhydding to new premises on Little Lane in the heart of Ilkley. Victoria Thompson, Managing Director, bought Norton & Townsend from Austen Pickles while working as a merchandiser at Buxton Pickles in Ben Rhydding. She has since grown the business and overseen its move to the new boutique. Speaking about the relocation, she says: “Norton & Townse

From this weekend, Ilkley Manor House will present RE-Play, a joyful and imaginative exhibition celebrating the creative process, the pleasure of making and the playful possibilities of contemporary art. First shown at Tinker Gallery, RE-Play, in a new iteration, will offer visitors the chance to experience the exhibition in a different setting and with a few new added artists. Curated by artist Kathryn Fox and curator Andreea Chițan, the exhibition brings together a lively m

Leeds United filming on Ilkley Moor [Photo: Leeds United] Leeds United and adidas have today unveiled the club’s new away kit for the 26/27 Premier League season with a film shot on Ilkley Moor. The launch marks an historic first for the partnership with the strip featuring the iconic adidas Originals Trefoil logo. Leeds United and adidas have released the campaign film set against the backdrop of Ilkley Moor and the Cow and Calf. Narrated by club legend Lucas Radebe, the vid

Soaking up the Yorkshire Day 2025 atmosphere on The Grove Two days of free music and family entertainment alongside Ilkley’s biggest Yorkshire market will celebrate Yorkshire Day 2026 in Ilkley. The weekend of festivities on the 1st and 2nd August is being organised by three volunteers following the huge success of Yorkshire Day 2025 which saw Ilkley co-host the region’s official civic celebration with Bradford, attracting thousands of visitors and earning a national award. I

Gordon Buchanan is back in Ilkley next March Acclaimed wildlife filmmaker and photographer Gordon Buchanan is heading back to Ilkley in 2027 with his hugely successful Lions and Tigers and Bears tour. From February, Gordon will visit almost 40 venues across England, Scotland and Wales – including a stop at the King’s Hall on Wednesday 10 March, and tickets are now on sale. Lions and Tigers and Bears with Gordon Buchanan has played to packed theatres since February 2025 an

Mark Summerson [event organiser], Colin [La Stazione] and Matt Broadley [The Ticket Office] Fresh seafood, live music, community spirit and charity fundraising are all on the menu this June as The Ticket Office launches Ilkley’s very first Seafood Festival. Running throughout the month, the festival will transform the iconic Ilkley venue into a celebration of fresh seafood, summer drinks and social dining, with live DJs, live local musicians and specially curated summer cockt

Ilkley Town’s Over-55s in action on Sunday Ilkley Town’s Over-55s take on the Over-60 England Veterans this Sunday, 7 June, kick-off 1pm. No strangers to international action - with a recent brace of home fixtures against Republic of Ireland - it’s the first time Ilkley’s Vets have faced their home national side. It’s a valuable opportunity for Ilkley’s men to play against quality opposition as they prepare for the National Cup which kicks off this September. Ilkley’s v

[Photo: Rich Bunce, the Walking Photographer] 4,000 bright yellow ducks will float down the River Wharfe on Sunday 21 June, as Burley-in-Wharfedale’s much-loved annual Duck Race returns - with proceeds supporting community groups across the village. The Cornmill Pond will host an open day from 1pm where race tickets will be on sale; the main event launches at 2pm from the riverside [what3words: ///quirky.tabs.aboard]. Each numbered race duck corresponds to a ticket entry, and

Ilkley Manor House announces a summer of art, photography, music, makers, theatre and Yorkshire stories. This summer, Ilkley Manor House will open its doors, galleries and courtyard for a rich programme of exhibitions, photography, live music, family activities, makers’ fairs, Yorkshire Day celebrations and open-air theatre — bringing one of Ilkley’s most historic buildings vividly to life. Running throughout June, July and August 2026, the summer programme invites visitors t

Wyl Menmuir Nature lovers of Ilkley will find much to enjoy at the Grove Bookshop’s event with author, Wyl Menmuir later this month. Wyl will be at the bookshop from 7pm on Friday, 19 June, to discuss his new book, The Spirit of Stone, which features our very own Ilkley Moor. The Spirit of Stone is the third book in Menmuir’s acclaimed trilogy, which includes The Draw of the Sea and The Heart of the Woods. The book celebrates the human stories behind stones and our landscapes

Rebecca Severs outside the new premises in Ilkley Three Little Birds bakery has announced it is opening a new branch on The Grove in Ilkley. The Keighley bakery, which has been running since 2015, opened their Keighley shop selling cupcakes, macarons, brownies and other desserts in 2023, and also baked bespoke wedding and celebration cakes for customers near and far. The next step in their journey is to expand, and they’ve secured new premises on The Grove in Ilkley town ce

📋| ILKLEY CHAT JOBS BOARD |📋 02.06.26 every Tuesday with Right at Home Ilkley, Keighley & Skipton - recruiting CareGivers to provide quality care in a client’s home: www.rightathome.co.uk/ilkley-jobs 🖱 To add a vacancy next week or view the Jobs Board on our website visit ilkleychat.co.uk/jobs-board There are three sections - main jobs, apprenticeships and volunteers. ■■■ MAIN JOBS ■■■ ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT [FULL-TIME PERMANENT] – IZVG, KEIGHLEY Duties: General office a

Soloist, Georgina Rosanna Crow Soprano soloist, Georgina Rosanna Crowe, will delight the audience at the next Airedale Symphony Orchestra concert on Sunday 14 June, singing the most beautiful music ever composed. The concert, Transcendent, brings together two monumental works of luminous beauty and sweeping romantic power, inviting us to journey from the intimate glow of Strauss’s final masterpiece to the vast, sun‑drenched landscapes of Bruckner’s Romantic imagination. The w

John Hancock [u3a], Colin Hambleton [La Stazione] and Stephen Thornton [FOIRS] Friends of Ilkley Rail Station (FOIRS) and Ilkley & District u3a are joining forces to raise awareness of their work and encourage new memberships. The week-long campaign will take place at Ilkley Railway Station from 7 to 14 June, coinciding with the Lexus Ilkley Open Tennis Tournament when many visitors will be travelling into the town by train. FOIRS has long played a key role in maintaining and

Building work is underway on the former railway embankment in Ilkley Work has started work to convert a former railway site off Skipton Road in Ilkley in a new energy efficient, affordable housing development. Led by Stonewater, the scheme, being delivered in partnership with Bradford Council, Ashfield Group and BWA Waller & Partners Ltd, will provide 35 new homes to help meet local demand; 21 for affordable rent and 14 for shared ownership. Homes with the development wil

Voices of Yorkshire previously at the King's Hall This June, choirs from two counties will be coming together in Ilkley for a very special evening of shared singing and friendship. Voices of Yorkshire are welcoming Tunbridge Wells Musical Theatre Choir to the King's Hall on Saturday 6 June for 'Choirs Across Counties' - two community choirs from different corners of the country coming together to swap songs, share stories, and celebrate the joy of singing as one. All in suppo

The River Wharfe at Ilkley is one site Yorkshire Water plans to trial a new innovative research project aimed at providing real-time water quality updates. Yorkshire Water, in collaboration with AI specialists UnifAI Technology, has started a research project that uses AI modelling to provide real-time water quality predictions at designated bathing water sites across the county, including Ilkley and Burley-in-Wharfedale. If successful, the two-year project could transform ho

Robbie Moore MP dipped in 2025 [Photos: Charlie Swinbourne] Following a successful, if chilly, first run in February 2025, Ilkley & District Good Neighbours (IDGN) is inviting people to Dip & Donate again at White Wells plunge bath. Helping to continue the charities vital work for the local community, this year the event is being held in June. Delivered by an army of volunteers, supported by a small staff team, IDGN’s popular community projects include Shop Assist, Befriendin

Nursery senior management team: Keri Parker, Nursery Manager Rachael Martin, Deputy Sarah Baines-Mormile & Effie King Nursery Rhymes & Jabberwocky Pre-School in Addingham is celebrating 25 years of providing high-quality care, education and support to children and families within the local community. Over the last quarter of a century, the village nursery has become a well-established and highly respected early-years setting for children from babies through to school age. The

Bradford Council today apologised for missed bin collections in parts of the district this week and announced crews will work on Saturday to empty the bins that were not collected. The missed rounds were caused by a combination of factors including extreme heat, staff holidays, increased traffic during half term and Eid, and anti-social parking that blocked vehicle access. Teams have been working throughout the week to catch up but, to ensure affected streets are cleared as q