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Fire crews from across the area attended a moor land fire near Silsden [Photo: Ilkley Fire Station] Firefighters from Ilkley joined crews from across the area in attending a significant moorland fire near Silsden Tuesday afternoon. West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service [WYFRS] say at the height of the incident, 12 fire engines were in attendance. Firefighters used large jets and Argo Cats to tackle the blaze across challenging terrain and remained at the scene overnight with a

The Darwin Gardens Millennium Green Trust has announce that Darwin Gardens, the lovingly restored green space that celebrated its 25-year anniversary last year, has once again received a coveted Green Flag Award for 2026-27. The Green Flag Award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces. Ilkley’s Darwin Gardens Millennium Green, having met the high standards required for the accreditation, has officially been recognised as one of the country’s best parks. C

Due to planned engineering improvement works, services on the Wharfedale Line will be amended for 4 days in July, and now 3 days in August. Network Rail announced the four weekend July dates, 18, 19, 25 and 26, a few weeks ago, and have now added three additional August dates, 1 to 3. The engineering work included track renewal, tunnel repairs and groundwork engineering. All lines out of Ilkley will be closed both weekends in July, the works are taking place between Ilkley an

Ilkley Town Council has installed new solar panels at the Riverside Gardens public toilet, providing renewable energy for many decades to come. Electricity at the Riverside Gardens public conveniences, located near the 17th century Old Bridge, is now being boosted by 5 new solar panels that have been installed on the south-facing roof. Ilkley Town Council resolved to place an order with Leeds Solar for installation of the panels at a total cost of £3,912 (ex VAT), which shoul

Ilkley Pride & Diversity Group is looking forward to welcoming the community back for its next Coffee & Cake Social, taking place this Sunday from 2pm at Vitello Lounge, Ilkley. Held on a monthly basis, the Coffee & Cake Social has become a popular opportunity for people to come together in a relaxed and welcoming environment. The event is open to LGBTQ+ people, allies, friends, family members and anyone who wants to support an inclusive local community. Whether you're atte

The team behind this year's Yorkshire Day Weekend celebrations is calling on local people to get involved by volunteering at one of Ilkley's biggest community events of the summer. Taking place at the start of August, the weekend promises a packed programme of entertainment, live music, family activities, food and drink, and community celebrations, bringing thousands of people into the town to celebrate Yorkshire and everything that makes Ilkley special. The celebrations are

Ilkley Half Marathon and 5K took place on Sunday [Photos: Rick Hall] The Ilkley Half Marathon & 5K 2026 has been hailed a major success after thousands of runners, volunteers, supporters and local residents came together for a fantastic day of community sport on Sunday. Organised by Ilkley & District Round Table, the event once again showcased the best of Ilkley, bringing together runners of all ages and abilities for a memorable challenge through the town and surrounding cou

📋| ILKLEY CHAT JOBS BOARD |📋 14.07.26 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 ■■■ CHEF – THE VINE RESTAURANT, ILKLEY We are on the lookout for experienced chef to join ou

Representatives of Ilkley & District u3a, Friends of Ilkley Rail Station talking to users of the station complex during Lexus Tennis week Fifty lucky local people are celebrating after winning a complimentary takeaway coffee or tea from La Stazione as part of a joint community initiative organised by Ilkley & District u3a and Friends of Ilkley Rail Station (FOIRS). The winners were selected at random following a prize draw held after volunteers from both organisations spent a

The Ilkley Water Trails leaflet has been a resounding success since its launch earlier in the year. The trails map has an accessible Riverside Walk, suitable to pushchair sand wheelchairs, and a Moorside Walk, which both start at the Fountain at the top of Brook Street. Inspired by Ilkley’s fountain, and its use of Victorian engineering, the trails are aimed at families to encourage walking and family fun. Julie Mountain, one of the creators of the leaflet, said: "We are so d

A free community screening of The People’s Emergency Briefing will take place at St. John’s Church, Ben Rhydding, on Sunday 26th July at 6.30pm, followed by a discussion to explore the climate and nature crisis. The latest local screening is part of a growing UK-wide programme of events designed to help ensure that both the public and decision-makers are informed about the climate and nature crisis and conversations can take place to explore how the risks can be addressed. Th

Ilkley's digital postcard was part of the application [Image: Ilkley BID] Ilkley has failed to make the shortlist for the UK’s first Town of Culture. The proposal was led by Ilkley Business Improvement District (BID) and supported by Ilkley Town Council in consultation with other local organisations, and aimed to celebrate the town’s rich arts, heritage, culture and creativity. Other local towns including Keighley, Otley and Harrogate applied without success. Fifteen towns ha