Welcome to the award winning Ilkley Chat!

Ilkley Beer Festival 2026 has raised a record-breaking £55k, marking its most successful year to date and delivering a significant boost to charities, voluntary groups and community projects across Ilkley and the wider Wharfedale area. Organised by Ilkley & District Round Table, the much-anticipated annual event once again transformed the King’s Hall & Winter Garden into a lively celebration of independent brewing, live entertainment and community spirit. Over the course of t

Main Street in Burley-in-Wharfedale {Photo: Noah Renshaw ] P olice have made arrests and are appealing for witnesses after a man was seriously assaulted in Burley in Wharfedale. Bradford District CID is appealing for information and footage as enquiries continue into a serious incident at the junction of Main Street and Iron Row. Officers were called at 9.56am today (Sunday 1 March) to a report a man had been found in the street with a stab injury to his body. Emergency servi

Wharfedale Fine Cheeses are set to open a shop on Church Street [Image: Google Maps] A regular for ten years at Real Markets in Ilkley, Wharfedale Fine Cheeses has announced plans to open a shop on Church Street in Ilkley. The business is going through the legal process to takeover the lease of the unit vacated at the start of the year by The Ilkley Thingery. Announcing the news on the Wharfedale Fine Cheeses Facebook page, Jeremy said: "Can you believe it is 10 years since

On Sunday 8 March, Christchurch in Ilkley will host a service of remembrance for babies lost in pregnancy, at birth or in infancy in recent times, or in years past. The service will offer an opportunity to acknowledge and remember a loss in a safe and supportive environment. All ages welcome, open to anyone of any faith or none. The service will be held at Christchurch on The Grove from 2pm on Sunday 8 March 2026. For more information please contact: michael.christchurchilkl

Scouts in Ilkley are raising serious concerns about proposed new Mayoral powers to introduce visitor levies on overnight stays in England. They warn that without exemptions, life-changing local opportunities for young people could be put at risk. At the heart of local Scouting in Ilkley is Curly Hill Campsite, a much-loved site that provides outdoor adventure, teamwork and skills development for young people across Ilkley and the wider Wharfedale area. Run for charitable purp

Bradford Council’s proposed budget for 2026/27 will be presented to the council’s Executive on 5 March and once again the Council will be granted special borrowing permission from the Government to avoid a bankruptcy risk. After being presented to the Executive, the budget will then go to full council for approval on 10 March. The budget sets out savings proposals for 2026/27 totalling £60.6m, which are made up of prevention and demand reduction, increases in fees and charges

Heat pumps will be discussed at the event Local charity Climate Action Ilkley’s aims include encouraging practical steps to reduce carbon emissions, one of the main causes of the climate and ecosystem breakdown the world is experiencing. To support that aim, CAI is hosting a free event on Wednesday 11 March at 7:30pm at the Clarke Foley Community Hub in Ilkley to provide information on ways homeowners, tenants and businesses can reduce their carbon footprint while also bringi

An informative event in Ilkley will showcase the support available in the local community for children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Taking place at the Clarke Foley Community Hub on Thursday 12 March between 2pm and 5pm, this event is open to parents, carers, young people, and professionals who support young people with SEN. It will offer a chance to meet local organisations, speak with professionals, and access helpful resources. A special guest tal

The gloves are going on, the bags are ready and the Great Bradford Spring Clean is ready to start. The annual spring clean, taking place from 13 to 29 March, aims to improve the local environment and foster a sense of civic pride. Residents, local business, schools and community groups across Addingham, Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Menston are being asked to come together to help make a positive impact in their neighbourhood while working together to protect the environme

Ilkley Lido Ilkley Pool and Lido is to benefit from additional funding approved this week by Bradford Council's Executive. A total of £636,000 will be spent on works to maintain Ilkley Pool & Lido and three other Council swimming pools: Eccleshill Pool, Shipley Pool, and Bowling Pool. This is part of a wider £1.9m of investment in swimming pools, sport and leisure, museums and family hubs. In Ilkley the most substantive items of expenditure are the removal and replacement of

Rehearsals are underway for The Animals Ilkley Players greenroom students return for their fourth National Theatre Connections Festival on 5th March with The Animals opening at Ilkley Playhouse. The Animals is a powerful new play set in a Youth Custody Unit where student teacher Sam introduces Philosophy to resistant young residents. Written by BAFTA‑nominated, Emmy‑winning playwright Sean Buckley (Responsible Child, Skins), the play explores fragile hope, fear of release, an

“Nellie” - a lovingly repurposed caravan that doubles as a working camera obscura, eco-friendly darkroom, and creative classroom on wheels is coming to Ilkley Manor House. Across a 90-minute session in the Manor House courtyard, participants will step inside the camera obscura to see the world upside down, learn how a camera works from the inside out, and create a portrait using plant-based darkroom techniques designed to be gentler on the environment. Four sessions will run