Ilkley Lido’s big 90th birthday bash picnic
The Ilkley Journal roundup 🗞️
Ilkley Lido’s big 90th birthday bash picnic
Ilkley Lido is to host a massive birthday picnic to celebrate its 90th birthday on Saturday 11 May 2025, which it describes as being a “celebration of community spirit”.
There will be a “lido through the years” exhibition, live music, street food, raffle prizes, “rookie lifeguard” sessions and a best dressed swimwear competition.
The birthday bash will be all the more special given the uncertainty that has surrounded the future of the lido. It was thought that Bradford Council was seriously considering closing the pool as part of cost-cutting measures.
It was this threat to the future of one of Ilkley’s most iconic venues which compelled locals to come together last year to form the Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group.
Since January 2024, they have been active in working with Bradford Council to keep the lido going.
Becky Malby, chair of the Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group, said:
“Ilkley Lido provides a unique experience for people from across West Yorkshire, who find the warm welcome of other swimmers, the beauty of the moor as we swim and the benefits of swimming on cold and warm days a key part of their year.”
The lido months are ones to treasure. When we were worried about the future of the pool, hundreds of people got in touch to tell us how important it is – and to offer to help the lido continue to be a fantastic experience for so many.”
The lido first opened to the public in May 1935 as part of the silver jubilee celebrations of George V. It is said to attract around 150,000 visitors every year.
Keighley welcomes news of being “monopolised”
Keighley is to join an exclusive club by getting its very own version of the popular board game Monopoly.
In collaboration with Bradford Council, Keighley Town Council has been working closely with Winning Moves on designs.
Locations that will feature on the board game include the Bronte Parsonage Museum, Keighley Library, Cliffe Castle, Dalton Mills, East Riddlesden Hall, Keighley train station, Keighley Town Hall and the cenotaph.
Gulfraz Hussain, Ilkley’s town mayor, said:
“Keighley is being presented with an opportunity often reserved for larger cities – and what an incredible project for Keighley Town Council to be a part of. I’m thrilled about this initiative, and am confident that the residents of Keighley will embrace it with as much excitement as I do.”
Locals are being invited to share their thoughts on what landmarks and locations should be included. You can do that here.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for Keighley during our year as UK City of Culture and I’m delighted to be part of the team bringing it to life,” said Alex Ross-Shaw, portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport on Bradford Council.
“Keighley has so many fantastic places and there’s no better way to celebrate them than by putting them all on a Keighley Monopoly board.”
Robbie Moore welcomes emergency steel legislation
The Conservative MP for Keighley and Ilkley has welcomed the Labour government’s proposal to introduce emergency legislation to save British steel production.
Robbie Moore said that while he supported the intervention, he believes that the government’s response to the crisis at British Steel should have come earlier. He added:
“The legislation will hand the government sweeping powers to control management and workers at the Scunthorpe steelmaking plant to ensure production continues, including entering it by force, if necessary, to secure assets from Jingye, the Chinese owners.”
He went on to say that huge energy costs for new or existing furnaces were “crippling” the industry before attacking what the government’s net zero approach by describing it as both “ludicrous” and “unsustainable”.
It’s unclear what exactly he was referring to with regard to Labour’s approach to getting to net zero. After all, it was the Conservative government under Theresa May that enshrined into law in 2019 a commitment to eliminate the UK’s net contribution to climate change by 2050.
As for energy costs, a 2024 report by UK Steel, the trade association for the UK’s steel industry, found that steel producers in the UK pay up to 50% more than competitors in France and Germany, “adding £37 million to UK steel electricity costs”.
Gareth Stace, director general of UK Steel, said in September that steel is critical to the government’s ambitions for the UK, “from the renewable energy rollout through GB Energy to infrastructure developments”. He continued:
“All require and rely on steel. Lower power prices are crucial to unlocking the success of the UK steel industry, enabling steel to be the backbone of a strong and thriving British economy.”
The UK steel industry contributes just 0.1% of total economic output and 0.8% of manufacturing output. It contributed £1.7 billion to the UK economy in 2024. The Scunthorpe steelworks site is said to be losing £700,000 a day. No private investors seem keen on investing in British Steel.
News in brief
Yorkshire mayor’s call for “stronger railway links”
West Yorkshire’s mayor Tracy Brabin met with mayor Oliver Coppard (South Yorkshire), mayor David Skaith (York and North Yorkshire), transport secretary Heidi Alexander, rail minister Peter Hendy and Lord David Blunkett (who is leading a review of rail connectivity in the are) to reinforce how essential better rail links are. More info here.
Habitant Bank on the edge of Ilkley Moor
A 140-acre area of land on the edge of Ilkley Moor is to be transformed into a “habitat bank”, which the Environment Bank describes as places where “new habitats – like meadows, woodlands, hedgerows, and ponds – are strategically added and managed for the long term to help biodiversity flourish”. Read more on the BBC here.
VE Day 80th anniversary day plans
We are not far off the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe Day), which marks the day that the Germans unconditionally surrended to the allies (8 May 2025). Ilkley Town Council says that it will be “joining in with nationwide celebrations, hosting a programme of events that includes live music, singing, and the lighting of a commemorative beacon”. More info will be available here.
Ilkley Carnival to feature supercars
The organisers of Ilkley Carnival have announced that The Fast Lane Club will be part of the line-up to this year’s jam-packed day. They’re set to bring a number of classic cars to the carnival, including Ferraris and a pre-war Jaguar and Aston Martin. More info on the carnival here.