There’s a new way to buy a car in town, and it’s definitely worth checking out. Owners of Runabout Warehouse, Rebecca and Dale Christensen wanted to appeal to people who might find regular car sales a bit daunting. What they have to offer is an indoor warehouse so you can browse at your own perusal come rain or shine, with over 30 cars to look at, and no pushy sales people so you can browse in your own time without feeling pressured.  They specialise in cars with small engines, so they’re more affordable to run and often less expensive when it comes to tax and insurance. It seems Rebecca and Dale have taken all the bad stuff out of buying a car and just left the good stuff and thrown in a few of their own ideas to make it a much more enjoyable experience! They’re open seven days a week- always a good move if you ask us, and they’re family friendly, what with toys in the waiting room, you can rest assured they’re trying to make it all as pain free as possible. (more…)

816 was set up four years ago by Pete Green, a man on a mission to bring good coffee to Calderdale. Pete has worked in the coffee industry for nearly ten years and it was during his time in New Zealand, training at an independent roastery, that he came to understand the art behind creating the perfect drink. So it’s fair to say that Pete loves coffee, but thanks to Totally Locally, he also has a genuine interest in seeing his local economy thrive.

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TV programmes like River Cottage that are re-introducing people to the idea of getting back to a way of shopping that looked like it was on it’s way out up until a few years ago.

In Calderdale we’re lucky enough to have three permanent markets and a number of regular outdoor ones as well, so we’ve stolen a march on some other places really. From the massive Victorian splendour of The Halifax Borough Market, winner of UK Market of the Year 2008, to the tiny Elland Market which appears every Friday morning with its regular queues for fresh veg & fish.

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Stepping inside this butcher’s shop with its cheery red and white striped canopy is like going back in time.  It’s nothing to do with the décor or product range, but about the welcome and quality of service that every customer is given regardless of how much or little they spend.

Even on a wet Wednesday morning customers were queuing out of the door to sample some of the special treats such as freshly baked pork and apple pie as well as stocking up on the usual basics.

Choose a whole chicken and you will be asked ‘with or without’ giblets.  When is the last time you can remember being given the choice?  Every item requested is shown to each customer to check whether they are happy with the cut and quality of meat before they agree to purchase.

Walker’s stocks a great range of fresh meat joints and cuts, sausages – including our favourites – pork and black pudding, as well as stand pies and cooked meats.

Located in the bustling Kings Cross Road, Walker’s Butchers at number 198 is well worth a visit.

Telephone:  01422 366 862

After opening in August, The Sandwich Station is already off to a good start. When it comes to good grub, you can’t really go wrong when you start with proper home cooking, finish with reasonable prices and chuck in a good dollop of service with a smile. Mother and daughter A-Team Sue and Kelly have got all of this covered, they used to work at Café 5 for Sue’s sister (and Kelly’s Aunty- keep up!). They know the importance of good food and good service, and they sure are putting this to good use. They’ve got some cracking food, and it’s available as a take-away and also outside catering.

From the massive breakfasts, to the sandwiches, jacket potatoes and cakes, they have got an impressive selection. The famous Jean (Sue’s mum), who built up a reputation as Sowerby Bridge’s best sticky toffee pudding maker at Café 5, is also impressing Sandwich Station customers with her delicious food.

Their Lemon drizzle cake is going to be our downfall at Totally Locally Towers, it really is the best we’ve tasted (and believe us, we are cake connoisseurs!), we just can’t get enough of it. In fact just last week Totally Locally Chris arrived with a still-warm-from-the-oven freshly baked FULL CAKE, which didn’t even last a day (maybe we shouldn’t mention that were only actually 3 of us in the office that day…woops!)

So that’s three generations of wisdom and what not to supply the good people of Sowerby Bridge and beyond with good food. Here’s to sisters (and aunties, grandmas, mothers and daughters..) doing it for themselves.

Looking for a traditional tempting treat from Yorkshire?  Then look no further than Lottie Shaws Seriously Good Yorkshire Parkin.  Lottie hales from a family of bakers who between them have baked in Yorkshire for over 100 years, Lottie herself is the daughter of a master baker.  In Lottie’s family there has been a wonderful tradition of passing down recipes from generation to generation, but it was Lottie who while taking time out to raise a family decided to do something a little different.

Lottie took her traditional family recipes and repackaged them to allow more people to enjoy them across the country.  To spread the word about her fabulous Parkin, Lottie visits farmer’s markets and food fairs across the country and with her products now also available in stores and cafes throughout Calderdale, Lottie Shaws’ name is synonymous with fabulous sweet treats.   Baked in Elland, Lottie’s Seriously Good Yorkshire Parkin is lovingly described as a ginger cake predominantly baked using oatmeal and a perfect blend of syrup and black treacle.  However, treacle in Parkin caramelizes during baking, but the difference with Lottie Shaws’ is that the Parkin is kept back for a few days to allow the caramel to soften, giving each piece perfect crumbly stickiness.

Other products in the Lottie Shaw range include Parkin Pudding, Caramel Sauce and Mince Pies.  What more can we say other than YUM!

Tel: 01422 372 335   Address: The Bakery, 84 Southgate, Elland, Halifax, HX5 0EP

Email: lottie@lottieshaws.co.uk

This little gem has been quietly sitting here for a while now, and if you haven’t been in yet it’s definitely worth a visit, especially getting closer to Christmas, you’ll be sure to find the perfect gift for a loved one!

Owner Andrea has got a keen eye for beautiful products, and with a conscience too with lots of fair trade and organic products, from lovely jewellery, beautiful organic baby products to some stylish bags and accessories that (more…)

The best things come in small packages, and you will certainly not argue with this if you have been to Gabriels. Inside this inviting little building near Sowerby Bridge Wharf, customers can visit here for a nice cup of coffee, some nice food with friends and best of all, friendly cheerful and helpful service!

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… and Winner of the Totally Locally Hero Award!

Sara Jo and Brian are at the helm of a blooming good pub! As a regular customer, it’s easy to forget how impressive the building is, but when you take a step back and actually look at the huge building encasing the finest selection of beers around, good homemade food and incredibly good customer service, you might start to feel a bit smug that we’ve got this right on our doorstep.

They are serious about good real ale, and everything within the pub is aimed at making drinking real ale a more enjoyable experience. They have an impressive selection of ales, many locally brewed and they even have ‘Works Wonders’, a beer brewed locally to their own recipe. They serve some lovely home cooked food, from stews, stroganoffs, salads and sandwiches; they even have a curry night on Wednesdays, which always brings in the crowds.

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TV programmes like River Cottage that are re-introducing people to the  idea of getting back to a way of shopping that looked like it was on its way out up until a few years ago.

In Calderdale we’re lucky enough to have three permanent markets and a number of regular outdoor ones as well, so we’ve stolen a march on some other places really. From the massive Victorian splendour of The Halifax Borough Market, winner of UK Market of the Year 2008, to the tiny Elland Market which appears every Friday morning with its’ regular queues for fresh veg & fish.

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Tansy opened Cheeky Sew & Sew because of a life long passion for sewing, and after discovering a shop in Paris with a similar concept, she came home to sunny Todmorden and it seems she has brought such a good business to the right place!

It’s an incredible concept that makes you think ‘why haven’t I heard of something like this before?’ Make do and mend might be the latest trend (ooh, that rhymes!), but this certainly isn’t a fad. Tansy is providing a friendly helpful service, a brilliant concept, somewhere you can learn or just relax, all in a homely atmosphere and it’s good for the environment! Now you can’t ask for much more than that can you.

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Tranquil is not a word often foraged from the depths of the Totally Locally dictionary, but there are no words more appropriate to describe this new tea house on the first floor of the Piece Hall. A baby amongst some of the much more established establishments, it is doing its own thing and that’s what the Piece hall is all about! (more…)

Winners of The Totally Locally Choice Award 2011.

Bikes & the Pennines (ie huge hills) – not an ideal combination you may think. But that’s where you’re at odds with most of the mountain biking fraternity of the UK. They travel for miles to ride our ridiculously steep, rocky, breathtaking hills.
And for the less muscular of leg we’ve got the superb canal system which lets you get across the whole of Calderdale on the flat, hardly touching  road and crossing some breathtaking country. Then for the  in-betweeners that there’s Route 66 – a mixture of both, a bit hilly, some flat and still incredible scenery.

What more could we want? How about a brilliant cycle shop with people who really care about selling you the right bike, are always smiley, always ready to help out and completely immersed in the bike culture. Well, welcome to Blazing Saddles in Hebden Bridge. (more…)

Man cannot live on bread alone. Although bread with a nice healthy dollop of jam on the other hand, and we’re laughing.

Not just any jam, you know the kind, tasteless gelatinous artificially bland ‘jam’, this just won’t do, for we have tasted Linda Websters concoctions and now, not any old jam will suffice. (more…)

When Katie Ogden opened her boutique in Sowerby Bridge back in 2005, she wanted a name that reflected the unique clothing brands she stocks, and Bollox Boutique certainly does just that; a name that stands out from the crowd just like the customers who shop here like to do. (more…)

Over 300 Local Products at this great shop!!!

This piece could have gone under Hidden Gems OR Total Local Heroes. You decide!

If you ever want to meet someone who lives and breathes the whole ethos of Totally Locally then look no further than John Buxton who along with Kate and Suzie run Ryecorn Wholefoods. (more…)

Totally Locally has been spending quite a bit of time at The piece Hall recently and it’s scary how under appreciated this beautiful building is! We’re about to see a lot more of what it has to offer us soon, but for now here’s a little taster of some of the shop that make it such a special place to visit…

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Stepping inside the Yorkshire Soap Company is like stepping into a Wonderland of beautiful handmade products to brighten your day, and your skin! Owners Marcus and Warren are the Willy Wonkas of this world and this is their chocolate (well, soap) factory. (more…)

Ayhan and his brother Dogas are behind a true hidden gem of our town with Spuds & Stuff. Hidden away at the side of Halifax Market, its easy to miss them in passing, and what a shame it would be to never discover their delicious chicken wraps or meze style salad boxes!

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If you were stranded on a desert island and could take one thing, what would it be? (more…)

Hidden Gem Location – Halifax

Passing this unassuming big stone building on Gibbet Street, it would be surprising if you’d ever even noticed it was there, never mind even wondered what goes on inside. But stepping through the big green doors and getting a sniff of the most out-of-this-world foodie smells ever, it takes mere seconds for your taste buds to beg your brain to venture further. (more…)

 HIDDEN GEM LOCATION – RIPPONDEN

The best things come in small packages, and that certainly applies to Dondolare in Ripponden, because not only do they sell the sweetest little shoes, they manage to have them all beautifully displayed in the very small space that used to be the old chemist. (more…)

HIDDEN GEM LOCATION – HEBDEN BRIDGE

Saker is one of those classic Hidden Gems. If you know about it, you will love it, and visit it it at every opportunity. If you don’t……… well here’s where that stops. (more…)

HIDDEN GEM LOCATION – ELLAND

Bringing a bit of glamour to Elland, Anon Lingerie is a new shop which has already created a loyal following in Calderdale, due to the beautiful (and sometimes a bit naughty) lingerie. But the main reason people keep going back is  the sparkling and attentive owner Rebecca. (more…)

HIDDEN GEM LOCATION – HEBDEN BRIDGE

Organic House has been in Hebden Bridge long enough now to be labelled an institution. And what an institution it is! A big cafe split over two floors, this place serves everything organic (as the name would suggest).

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HIDDEN GEM LOCATION – HALIFAX

Tucked away on an unassuming West End Road in Halifax, you could say this independent store is literally hidden, but when you’ve been there once you’ll definitely think it’s a REAL gem. Venture inside and you’ll be amazed at the choice on offer. Al Nawaz specializes in Asian foods and spices, Halal Meat and Poultry and fresh fruit and veg, but in fact you can find more or less everything you need there. (more…)

Hidden Gem Location  The Piece Hall, Halifax

This one is a real cracker. As it says on the tin, Collect@’s shelves heave under the weight of collectable figures & merchandise from Dangermouse to Halo, Betty Boo from Deadmau5 to Bad Taste Bears. And best of all a wonderfully knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff who will take the time to chat and show you around with no pressure at all. They love their work, and your kids will REALLY love their shop. Warning DO NOT take the dreaded combination of enthusiastic kid & your credit card. ?Oh, go on then. www.collectaworldshop.co.uk

HIDDEN GEM LOCATION – SOWERBY BRIDGE

When you go on holiday you know the best place to go for a meal is where the locals eat. So it surely follows that if you want to buy DIY stuff, go where the tradesmen go. And guess – what most of them don’t go to the big place with a Q and B in it’s name. No you’ll often find them in a Q (see what we did there) at Sowerby Bridge’s very own Thundefix. (more…)

Triangle Emporium & Post Office, set half-way between Sowerby Bridge and Ripponden. They stock produce from 29 Local Suppliers.
Paddy & Michael bought Triangle Post Office back in 2005 with a strong mission in mind. To make the shop the centre of the community and to be the best supplier of local produce in the area. And looking at the shop five years on, they are well on their way to making that goal happen.

As well as being the first stop for postage and after school treats, the shop, now named The Triangle Emporium, stocks produce from over 29 Calderdale businesses, from Southowram bacon, to puddings made in Elland, eggs from just up the road and Triangle Honey – from just 500 yards down the road!

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Check out that Menu!

Independent cafes are becoming a rarity in our bigger towns, so when one as unique as Ginger Vegetarian Cafe comes along, it’s well worth a look.

So here’s a thing – we get lots of shops saying “I want to be a Hidden Gem”, which is nice, but we wait for other people to say “take a look – this is great”. So this is what happens with Ginger Cafe. They approached us, then lots of other people mentioned them – so here they are – recommended by you!

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Blink and you might miss this tiny shop, but that would be a BIG shame! Tucked away at the side of Oldham Rd in Ripponden, this specialist deli is a masterclass in how to fit the most specialist food into a space where swinging anything prove difficult!. (more…)

Market Street in Hebden Bridge has all of a sudden become a bit of a Mecca for unusual, individual shops, many run by the people who actually make the products.

Raidance is a fine example of this. Run by Hannah Nunn, Radiance is all about lighting (and a few extra beautiful bits for the house & body), but as far away from your normal lighting shops than you can imagine.

All made on the premises, all ‘designered’ all stunning, there’s no better place to get a statement piece for your abode.

Recently featured in The Guardian Interiors Guide, The Times Magazine and BBC Homes & Antiques, go and see what the fuss is about. AND you’ll get an amazingly friendly welcome!

FROM SHEEP TO CHIC

Makepiece are probably one of the most inspiring Calderdale compaines we at Totally Locally have come across. They make incredibly beautiful (and extremely cutting edge) wool clothing -from humble scarves to full on hand woven wedding dresses. But what makes them even more special is that the wool comes from their own sheep, reared by themselves on the hillside just above Todmorden.

They have been critically acclaimed in the National & International press, and in our eyes, really do deserve the title Total Local Heroes.

They have their own stunning shop in Todmorden and also sell through the Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge (as well as many other shops throughout the UK).

Here’s a little bit about them, taken from the Heart Gallery website (thanks Alison).

Makepiece was founded in 2004 by Nicola Sherlock and Beate Kubitz to produce beautiful clothing that is sustainable, low-impact and eco-friendly.

HIDDEN GEM LOCATION – HALIFAX

Look, we all know that certain shops make you a bit nervous about going in, thinking “what if I look an idiot, what if they try to sell me something extortionate?”. Two of the biggest culprits? – Art Galleries & Wine Shops.

So put on your bravest face, because Totally Locally urges you to step over the threshold of The Halifax Wine Company. You are guaranteed to come out smiling with a VERY different view of the wine trade. (more…)

Outspoken? Yes. Loves her job? Definitely.  Passionate about Calderdale? Absolutely!

Christa has long been a champion of Halifax, having lived in Calderdale for over 30 years. She’s a supporter of anything that improves the image of our borough, and, being an avid “Totally Locally” shopper  has backed the campaign since the beginning. (more…)

HIDDEN GEM LOCATION – SKIRCOAT GREEN

With a background in card design herself, it’s clear that Natalie Seager has an eye for the beautiful, the unique and the intriguing – her shop is chock full of it! From jewellery to journals, soft toys to original art, there’s a gift for just about anyone or anything you can wave a designer stick at. (more…)

If you’ve never been here, you’re missing out on a shopping experience extraordinaire.

The Sell-It Centre is in a huge mill (18,000 sq ft) and has been around for over 26 years. (more…)

Saying Orange make mountain bikes is a bit like saying Ferarri make a nice runaround. These bikes are special. Anyone who knows about bikes, knows about Orange, and most of them love them.  Formed in 1988 and three times UCI World Cup Champions – and guess what – built in Halifax! (more…)

With names like Cragg Vale Bitter, Tod Blonde, Withens Pale Ale, Hebden’s Wheat Beer and Stoodley Stout, theres no mistaking where these beers come from! Based just above Cragg Vale, Little Valley Brewery is fast becoming one of those institutions that everyone’s proud of, even if they’ve got nothing to do with it. And rightly so. With an armful of awards, a rapidly growing fan base, vegan credentials, and now even supplying The House of Commons, Little Valley Brewery seems destined to outgrow the ‘Little” bit of its name. (more…)

Nick & Madelaine Hoyle are rightly proud of the beautiful old hall that is Todmorden Vintner (originally called Todmorden Old Hall) . Not just a grand, old house, but a superb, relaxed restaurant (just read the reviews) where you find yourself dining in the splendour of oak paneled rooms. The couple take even more pride in the fact that most of their food is sourced locally, and they have even started running nights where everything on the menu is from the direct locale.  I got the story of their eggs benedict (bacon, egg, mayonnaise and muffin) has a combined food mileage of 8 miles! Lovely, genuine people serving lovely, genuine food.

If there was an award for ‘winning the most awards for pork pies’, Andrew Jones would be odds-on favourite for the trophy. (more…)

150 years in one family in one town (Elland)  is something worth celebrating, having put smiles on the faces of Calderdale residents since Victorian times & seen sweet fads come & go, J. Dobson & Sons Sweets is a local gem. (more…)

Not content with providing Calderdale with what can only be described as ‘the perfect pub’, producing The Works’ own beer (Works Wonders) winning a truck load of plaudits for real ales & beers plus providing truly wonderful locally-sourced food,  Sara Jo could never be accused of  laurel-resting! (more…)

A printers since at least the 1940′s its present incarnation has been in place for a quarter of a century.  Present owner, Craig Simcock, having taken over the helm from his father 12 years ago. However, whilst utilising many traditional printing methods such as thermographing & embossing – it is a business very much rooted in the 21st Century, with a an emphasis on high end digital print. (more…)

Harveys really is a family business. The current Managing Director, Mrs Tracy Harvey is joined at the helm by her father Roger, her mother, Susan and her brother Richard. (more…)

If ever anyone deserved the accolade of Total Local Hero then, Donald, the proprietor of this fixture on the locale’s landscape does.  Strip away the years & you’ll find many things have changed on Town Hall Street – but not at No. 30.  It was born a butchers & a butchers it has stayed.  Man & boy.  Very much like Donald, whose first tentative steps in the butchery world were taken in 1951 at No 30 – then the Co-Operative Butchers. (more…)

Tucked away in Sowerby Bridge Railway Station is a beacon of Hidden Gems ethics.  If you’re drifting to work of a week day morning then perhaps a brief stop at the Station’s old ticket office can revive your commute – courtesy of a life affirming coffee & cake.

This recently renovated cafe come pub has been 12 years in the making – the process has been long but all the better for it.  It is the brainchild of brothers Chris & Andrew Wright who spent many a year negotiating with the rail authorities so as to realise their dream.  A refreshment room akin to those found during the golden age of steam.

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Rattling around since 1998 Phoenix FM finally reached its fullest expression in December 2007 when it launched a full time community radio station for Halifax & Calderdale.  Driven on by the energy & enthusiasm of Howard Priestley & his team of paid & voluntary staff the station is continually strengthening its brand. (more…)

200 YEARS IN THE SAME FAMILY! – Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Ben Aaron’s happy birthday to you.  Incredible though it is Ben Aaron’s reaches the double century this year – and it is the still in the same safe pair of hands.  Well to be exact it is run by the 8th generation Benjamin Aaron – namely Paul Benjamin Aaron. (more…)

Multi-award winning, ethical, owned by everyone who works there, brilliant product and residing in Calderdale – what’s not to like about Suma?!

From the humble origins of a little shop in Leeds in 1975 (started by Reg Taylor) to a 150 strong co-operative in Elland today. Suma has gone from strength to strength, showing how great people with a good work ethic and an eye on doing good can prosper in these cynical times of corporate giants. (more…)

Total Local Heroes
THE INCREDIBLE EDIBLE TODMORDEN TEAM

Hidden Gem Location, Halifax

Hidden Gem Location, Brighouse

Hidden Gem Location, Sowerby Bridge

Hidden Gem Location, Elland

Hidden Gem Location, Hipperholme, Nr Halifax

Hidden Gem Location, Hebden Bridge

Groaning under the weight of some 100,000 back issues, from the golden age to the most recent releases, if comics be your vice then come & sate your appetite.  In fact whether you’re a comic reader, comic collector or comic curious – or none of these – you should let your eyes run over this treasure trove. (more…)

Hidden Gem Location, Halifax

Bijoux – if ever a business fitted a term then Brian Powe’s butchers shop has a glove like affinity with the expression. It is indeed a shop that is small but perfectly formed.

In fact you would be hard pressed to swing a chop on the premises. However, this local butcher supplies a wonderful line in high quality meat – that is all sourced from Medcalf’s in Elland. (more…)

Hidden Gem Location, Hebden Bridge

Hidden Gem Location, Southowram, Halifax

Hidden Gem Location, Sowerby Bridge