Ilkley: How famous spa town on edge of Yorkshire Dales is appealing to new generation of visitors
Over the centuries, Ilkley has welcomed an eclectic range of visitors. Charles Darwin, Madame Tussaud, GK Chesterton, T.S. Eliot and Jimi Hendrix are among the famous names who have toured a spa town which has also become synonymous with Yorkshire’s unofficial anthem; a song which has encouraged generations of walkers to brave the local moors without a hat.
But even Ilkley, a place often cited as one of the best places to live in Britain, cannot rest on its laurels. Sarah Brookfield-Almond, the manager of Ilkley Business Improvement District (BID), is keen to ensure corporate names big and small at the town’s core continue to prosper by attracting new visitors. The BID, a business-led and funded body, is, for example, keen to help improve the local railway and bus station to ensure they offer a warm Yorkshire welcome.
"We're always looking at ways of getting Ilkley on the map,’’ said Ms Brookfield-Almond, a business consultant who has worked in the retail, hospitality and food and drink sectors. "I managed to secure via the BID some funding for a feasibility study for this state of the art transport hub. We want it to be a focal point for the town; enabling more people to gain access to Ilkley but also beyond into the Dales. It would have shared waiting space between the bus and railway station making it much more integrated. There would be a new visitor information centre and community hub, electric car and electric bike rental. There would also be secure storage for people with valuable bikes.”
If the scheme gets approval, it could be landscaped with local materials and include blossom trees.
"There would also be a coach drop off, because we've got ‘coach friendly’ status for Ilkley, and this would make the drop off spaces more central,’’ she added. "We are working with West Yorkshire Combined Authority to get it on their project list.”
Ilkley, which is surrounded by moorland and ancient woodlands, recently gained Walkers are Welcome status; a testament to the abundance of paths around the town which lead into a mini-wilderness. Ilkley is also the beginning of the Dalesway, a long distance trek that takes walkers into remote parts of the Dales as they stride towards the Lake District.
“We are working to make it easier for people to come and walk in Ilkley, whether it be families with pushchairs and wheelchairs, or you want to do a big hike or a history trail,’’ said Ms Brookfield-Almond. “We want to have something for everyone. We are negotiating discounts with outdoor shops and linking in with group walk organisers.”
The BID is also considering setting up trails to celebrate the movies and TV series filmed in Ilkley and the surrounding moorland, such as Riot Women, the new BBC drama.
"I would also be interested in a heritage walk that celebrates all the famous people who were born and have lived in Ilkley,’’ she added.
Ilkley Bid also supported the creation of a new fountain on Brook Street, which gained approval from one of Ilkley’s famous sons.
"The broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh conducted the brass band when we unveiled the new fountain, which was a project delivered by Improving Ilkley (a charity which works to enhance the town) with support from Ilkley BID,’’ she recalled. "It's a really nice focal point for the town. Improving Ilkley came to the BID with the concept for the fountain; we were very much behind it and thought it would be positive for the town.
"We're helping Improving Ilkley to launch phase two, which will incorporate a poem from Simon Armitage, the poet laureate, and an amphitheatre-type seating at the fountain. We also led a project team which staged Yorkshire Day celebrations in Ilkley. We extended it to a whole weekend with markets and live music and activities for the whole family. We had such a great turnout.”
The BID has been the driving force behind the Iconic Ilkley campaign, which aims to redefine Ilkley’s image and attract a new, younger audience. The project is a collaboration between make-up artist Marianna Easter, fashion photographer Xanthe Ellis, designer Charlotte Allen from Alpkit Ilkley, and videographer Ellen McAuslan. At the heart of the campaign is a fashion collection created by Ms Allen. Ms Brookfield-Almond gave her the challenge of transforming discarded outdoor gear, including tents, wetsuits, and bike tubes, into high-concept fashion. The resulting work – which included a Grecian Goddess-inspired gown made from a tent – was captured for posterity by models on a bracing late summer day, who posed for the cameras by Ilkley’s famous Cow and Calf rocks.
"We do promotions throughout the year for all the different sectors that make up Ilkley, such as food and drink, including promotions to help businesses during their quiet January and February period,’’ Ms Brookfield-Almond added. “One of the key search terms for people when they are visiting Ilkley is ‘dog friendly’. We've got a dog friendly directory for all the relevant businesses; they've got treats, a branded Discover Ilkley bowl and a dog friendly window sticker. We administer the Ilkley Gift Card, which is accepted by more than 80 businesses in Ilkley. It's all about keeping money in the town. We've provided new maps, which are dotted around the town centre. It's helping a visitor to Ilkley understand there are lots of interesting businesses tucked away.”
Ms Brookfield-Almond never loses sight of Ilkley BID’s core mission; to serve companies of all sizes which are bringing investment to one of the county’s most famous towns.
"We appreciate that running a business is challenging and we really focus on ensuring that the levy funds are spent on projects that help our members, promote the town and keep Ilkley clean and attractive,’’ she added.