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This Easter, Ilkley BID is inviting families to explore the town centre with a fun-filled Easter Bunny Trail! From 28 March to 12 April, children and adults alike can join the hunt for Flopsy bunnies, hiding in 16 local shops across Ilkley. One lucky winner will take home a giant Ostrich Egg, weighing over 1kg, generously donated by Hotel Chocolat on Brook Street. Jos Mountcastle, BID Communications Officer, said: “We’re inviting families to explore Ilkley over the Easter hol

Cllr Andrew Loy [middle] with Jane Sellers and Richard Downey outside the former HWRC Ilkley district councillor Andrew Loy has called for a “common sense” approach to improving recycling and restoring access to local waste facilities, following a motion he presented at a meeting of Bradford Council on Tuesday 17 March 2026.   The motion highlighted that Bradford district’s household recycling rate currently stands at just 32.53%, significantly below the national average of 4

Spring is in the air - and so is music as Ilkley Live brings a delight of musical events to entertain Ilkley in the coming months! The first offering is the Spring Community Sing , which will take place at the Clarke Foley Community Hub from 10.00-12.00 on Saturday 11 April. This event will once again be led by natural voice leader Keely Hodgson. Keely teaches songs through singing and repeating, mixing traditional and new tunes to create a joyous sound that is full of harmon

The site in Addingham has a guide price of £500,000 [Photo: Mark Brearley & Company] As Bradford Council continues to sell off its assets, a plot of land in Addingham has gone up for sale with a guide price of £500,000. The freehold potential development site sits on the junction of Main Street and Church Steet, on the eastern side of the village, and adjacent to series of residential properties, with open fields to the North. The sale brochure states the site extends to appr

Voices of Yorkshire at a previous sold out concert at the King's Hall This June, Voices of Yorkshire are delighted to welcome Tunbridge Wells Musical Theatre Choir to Ilkley for a very special evening of shared singing and friendship. Choirs Across Counties on Saturday 6 June is exactly what it sounds like — two community choirs from different corners of the country coming together to swap songs, share stories, and celebrate the joy of singing as one. A spokesperson said: "Ex

MP Robbie Moore speaking in Parliament Royal Mail delays have caused missed hospital appointments and unpaid pensions parliament has heard from Keighley and Ilkley’s MP Robbie Moore. Mr Moore says a series of concerning cases have been raised by his constituents. Speaking in Parliament, he highlighted a number of recent examples from across his constituency which demonstrate the impact of ongoing postal delays: “One pensioner, for example, waited more than two weeks for a new

The  2026 Ilkley Citizen Awards winners and nominees Ilkley’s Annual Town Meeting on Wednesday was an evening of community celebration and copious amounts of cake! On Wednesday 18th March 2026, Ilkley residents came together at Ilkley’s Annual Town Meeting to celebrate the hard work of community volunteers, as well as to discuss local matters affecting the town. The Clarke Foley Community Hub was a hive of activity, with various local groups showcasing what they get up to: re

Team at Enfields Luxe Enfields Luxe, the premium estate agency renowned for its exceptional services in the luxury property market, is proudly celebrating its first anniversary in Ilkley this month. This milestone marks an exciting year of growth and success since the agency opened its doors in the town on 29 March 2025.   “We’re incredibly proud to celebrate one year in Ilkley,” said Andrew Baxter, Director of Enfields Luxe. Andrew also highlighted that Enfields Luxe is now

The cast of Teechers Brand-new local theatre company, That’s The Badger Productions, is heading back to school this June as they present Teechers, the hilarious and fast-paced comedy by John Godber.   Running at Ilkley Playhouse from 3–6 June, the production brings to life the trials, tribulations and absurdities of school life through the eyes of three Year 11 students. First performed in 1987, Teechers has become one of the most widely performed modern British plays, celebr

The Black Hat in Ilkley is to close from this weekend, reopening under new ownership in April. The Church Street venue announced the news on socials media this week, owners Stonegate Group have been advertising a new tenancy opportunity on its company website since 2025 - marketed as 'a true turnkey hospitality opportunity for an experienced operator.' Originally the Rose & Crown, it was Renaissance for four years from 2010 and opened at The Black Hat after a major refurbish

Nabeela Ahmed Ilkley Soroptimists will host writer, poet and spoken-word artist Nabeela Ahmed at St. John’s Church, Ben Rhydding, on Thursday 26 March at 7:30pm. Nabeela Ahmed, a multilingual voice on identity, family and womanhood, grew up between Bradford and Kashmir, which brings a powerful blend of languages and perspectives to her work. Her work draws on the two cultures in which she has lived and is written in three languages. Nabeela's debut poetry collection, From Kas

Neptune and the Blue Water Rebels Climate activists and residents from Ilkley Extinction Rebellion (XR) are inviting people to gather with them on Sunday for a 'World Water Wedding'. Meeting at Ilkley's Old Bridge at 2pm on Sunday 22 March, the one-hour ceremony, part of the United Nations' World Water Day, is to celebrate and connect with the River Wharfe. The Ilkley event will feature a short, family-friendly procession led by the Blue Water Beings, whose flowing blue costu

The Human Body is currently on stage at Ilkley Playhouse We take a look at what's on now and coming soon to Ilkley Playhouse. Lucy Kirkwood's play The Human Body is in its second week in the Wharfeside Theatre and runs until Saturday 21st March. It’s the winter of 1948. The weather is freezing and austerity is biting as GP Iris Elcock works hard to help implement Nye Bevan’s National Health Service Act and its revolutionary promise to provide free healthcare for all. In addi

Emma and Alex from Wharfedale People Consulting Wharfedale People Consulting has announced the formal launch of its expanded HR consultancy services, supporting businesses across the local area with practical, people‑focused solutions. Although the consultancy has been operating for some time, growing demand and a steadily increasing client base have prompted a more official introduction to the local business community. Based in Burley-in-Wharfedale, Emma and Alex bring over

📋| ILKLEY CHAT JOBS BOARD |📋 17.03.26 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 ■■■ COMPANIONS – LADIES IN WAITING, ILKLEY Are looking for mature minded candidates to cove

On Sunday 29 March, Two Rivers Concert Band will hold their Spring Concert, under the expert baton of their musical director, Gregory Moor. The concert starts at 3pm, doors open at 2:30, at Ilkley Baptist Church on Kings Road in Ilkley. The Spring Concert will include a varied programme of music reflecting the past, present and future. Some pieces are inspired by our British folksongs and landscape, while others represent places much further afield... as a spokesperson explai

The Ilkley Playhouse Vintage Fair on Saturday 4th April will be the final fair organised by Jill Coulson of Burley-in-Wharfedale business Alfie Robot Retro. Having run the event in Ilkley since 2015, Jill has decided that the 20th fair, on Easter Saturday, will be the last one and has promised to go out with a bang. More than 20 of the best loved traders from the last 19 fairs will return to bring a host of classic vintage fashion, furniture, vinyl, jewellery, ornaments, book

Mike Davis MBE Ilkley resident and founder of a Skipton based children's charity, Mike Davies MBE, has received a replacement medal after the original was stolen during a break-in at his Ilkley home. Mike founded The Principle Trust Children's Charity, which offer respite breaks and support for disadvantaged children, in 2011 and was appointed MBE by the Queen in 2017. Early February, burglars broke into his home on Curly Hill in Ilkley and took his MBE, along with passports,

Pocket park by the South Hawksworth Street car park public toilets Improvements to the cycle hub in Ilkley’s ‘pocket park’ are planned for summer and will be delivered by Bradford Council’s Landscape Design and Conservation team. The cycle hub, adjacent to the public toilets in the centre of Ilkley, is to be improved with repairs to the damaged cycle shelter, new additional cycle storage and the installation of a new bin store. Created in 2020 to provide a base for cyclists t

Award-winning author, Liz Flanagan The Grove Bookshop is excited to be hosting an evening of historical fiction with award-winning author, Liz Flanagan this week. The event will be at the shop from 7-8.30pm on Thursday, 19 March. The author will be in conversation about her novel, When We Were Divided , which is set in Yorkshire during the English Civil War. Bookshop manager Mike said: 'I am looking forward to speaking to Liz about the eternal issues faced by families torn ap