Welcome to the award winning Ilkley Chat!

Alan Titchmarsh at the opening of the new fountain in April 2025 The Ilkley Flower Show will make a triumphant return on Saturday 19 September at All Saints Church, featuring renowned garden writer and broadcaster and IFS president Alan Titchmarsh CBE as guest judge.   Now in its 67th year, the community-focused event will bring horticulture, arts, food and family-friendly competition back to the heart of Ilkley with a full day of displays, stalls and activities.   This year’

King Duck training his ducks in the Ilkley fountain King Duck is getting his ducks all in line ready for next month’s Great Ilkley Duck Race. Organised by the Ilkley Wharfedale Club Rotarians who are hoping to sell all 6000 yellow ducks this year race on Saturday 18 April. Ducks are launched into the River Wharfe from the New Brook Street Bridge and be swept along to a finish line 350m downstream.   The first ducks into the water at 2:15pm will be the red ducks taken by 100 b

The PSSA [Public Statues and Sculpture Association] have announced the new Ilkley Fountain has been nominated for the 2026 PSSA Marsh Award for Excellence in Fountains. Several nominations were made for the Ilkley fountain, which was delivered after a competition and consultation period by the charity Improving Ilkley, and opened by Alan Titchmarsh CBE in 2025, Announcing the nomination, the PSSA said: "We are delighted to announce that Juliet Gutch, Ilkley Fountain has been

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