Welcome To The Beacon

The Beacon, is a 24/7 guide to what’s on in Halifax, West Yorkshire. It is our aim to support the local community, so from sporting events to charity fundraisers, opening nights to open days we make it our business to know what’s happening. Not only do we feature local events but we also have an up to date list of all local pubs, clubs and eateries along with ideas for great days out in and around the town. So if your here for a flying visit or just looking to pass the time please check out our guide to what’s hot and what’s not in the area.

Halifax In Pictures

Halifax – Town of a Hundred Trades

The Minster town of Halifax, situated in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, is a northern mill town once renowned for its wool production. It came to prominence during the 18th and 19th century following the onset of the Industrial Revolution and this wool production provided much wealth for the mill owners of the town, this in turn helped the town to boom not only in population size but also in the number and variety of industries it could support.

The Legacy of Wool

Halifax benefited from a number of wealthy philanthropist mill owners, who amassed huge fortunes due to the wool trade, most notably the Crossley’s and the Akroyd’s. They helped to build much of the town we see today including many noteworthy buildings such as the Town Hall, Dean Clough mills, All Souls Church and Akroydon Model Village to name but a few.

Halifax’s strength as a world leader in the production and trade of wool started to decline towards the end of the 19th century although it continued to provide employment for the local community well into the 20th century. Despite the decline of the wool trade, Halifax continued to prosper in other areas such as engineering, construction, confectionery and financial services, so much so, that it was often described as a town of a hundred trades. It also found international fame with such brands as Mackintosh’s toffee (now owned by Nestle), Crossley’s Carpets and The Halifax Bank (now part of the Lloyds Banking Group) and these industries can still be found in the town today in spite of more challenging times.

The 21st Century and Beyond

Modern day Halifax is now a vibrant town with many independent shops and places of interest such as The Piece Hall, Britain’s only remaining Georgian Cloth Hall. The Piece Hall has recently undergone a multi-million pound regeneration project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and is a must see attraction for out-of-town visitors.

Halifax and the wider Calderdale area will be familiar to TV fans across the UK as it is the backdrop to a number of much loved television series including, Last Tango In Halifax, Happy Valley, Ackley Bridge and Gentleman Jack. Shibden Hall & Museum has now become a very popular tourist destination thanks to Gentleman Jack and the exploits of Anne Lister but there are also a number of other museums in the town including Eureka!, the award-winning children’s museum, Bankfield Museum and Calderdale Industrial Museum.

With easy access to the M62 and excellent transport links, Calderdale is a popular choice for weekly commuters to Manchester and Leeds and with its theatres, cinema and wide range
of pubs, bars and restaurants it is also one of the most popular night spots in West Yorkshire too!