Wetherby

For the 1985 British drama film, see Wetherby (film).

Wetherby
Wetherby as viewed from Micklethwaite across the River Wharfe.
Population	11,155 (2001)
OS grid reference	SE404481
Civil parish	Wetherby
Metropolitan borough	City of Leeds
Metropolitan county	West Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WETHERBY
Postcode district	LS22, LS23
Dialling code	01937
Police	West Yorkshire
Fire	West Yorkshire
Ambulance	Yorkshire
UK Parliament	Elmet and Rothwell

Wetherby is a market town and civil parish within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, in West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Wharfe, and has been for centuries a crossing place and staging post on the A1 Great North Road, being mid-way between London and Edinburgh. It has a population of 11,155.

Historically a part of the Wapentake of Skyrack within the West Riding of Yorkshire, Wetherby is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Wedrebi, thought to derive from wether- or ram-farm or else meaning "settlement on the bend of a river". Local folklore has it that when heavy snow storms hit the county, Wetherby does not get as much because the Weather Goes By.

Wetherby Bridge, which spans the River Wharfe, is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade II listed structure. As a result of its situation on the main road, a large number of coaching inns were established in Wetherby, and many are still used today by travellers. The Old Great North Road is still in place and "Toll Bar House" is still present today, however this part of the group of buildings was built much later in 1918-1920. The Toll Bar itself was attached to this building to the North and to date no-one can be found to verify when demolition occurred. It underwent major refurbishment in the mid-1990s, but the main part of the house is unchanged apart from the two chimney pots being reversed at some point in its history according to a local painting in the Bay Horse Inn at Kirk Deighton.

History

Main article: History of Wetherby

Wetherby Bridge

Bishopgate, a former slum area in Wetherby

The Bridge, River and Weir.

Wetherby Town Hall

High Street

Market Place

In the 12th and 13th centuries the Knights Templar and later the Knights Hospitallers were granted land and properties in Yorkshire. The local Preceptory founded in 1217 was at Ribston Park. In 1240 the Knights Templar were granted by Royal Charter of Henry III the right to hold a market in Wetherby (known then as Werreby). The Charter stated the market should be held on a Thursday and a yearly fair was permitted lasting three days over the day of St James the Apostle.

From 1318 to 1319 the North of England suffered many raids from the Scots. After the Battle of Bannockburn Wetherby was burned and many people taken and killed. According to the blue plaque [10] at the entrance to the lane, Scott Lane could be named after the Scottish raiders in 1318, or perhaps after the 18th century drovers who used Wetherby as a watering place.

Wetherby had a small part to play in the English Civil War in 1644. Before marching to Tadcaster and then to Marston Moor, the Parliamentarians spent two days in Wetherby while joining forces with the Scots.

In the heyday of the coaching era, Wetherby had up to forty inns and alehouses. The first recorded mail coach arrived in Wetherby in 1786.

In 1824, William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire sold the town of Wetherby (except one house) to finance work at Chatsworth. Wetherby provides the setting for the novel Oldbury (1869) by Annie Keary.

Wetherby gave its name to Wetherby Place in London and thence to Wetherby School in London, which used to be located in Wetherby Place.

20th century

For many years the town was home to Wharfedale Brewery which became Oxley's mineral water factory during the inter-war years. The factory was demolished in the 1950s and was redeveloped as the West Yorkshire bus depot and bus station, and has since been further redeveloped to include shops, offices, and a restaurant in addition to the bus station. The nearby watermill, which was situated by the weir, is now the site of luxury riverside flats.

Many Wetherby men served with either the 5th or 9th West Yorkshire Regiments, who had great losses in Flanders. A war memorial designed by E. F. Roslyn was dedicated on 22 April 1922.

In 1918, the locals of Wetherby contributed greatly to support the crew of the Racecourse class minesweeper HMS Wetherby despite hardship and shortages caused by the war.

During World War II, RAF Tockwith was renamed RAF Marston Moor to avoid confusion with RAF Topcliffe. Part of the airfield is now used as a driver training centre and the old control tower is used as the offices. Parts of the runways can still be seen.

Heart-throb of the American silver screen, Clark Gable was stationed at Marston Moor, during the Second World War, as a member of the USAAF ground staff, with the rank of Captain. He was later transferred to RAF Polebrook in Northamptonshire, during this time Adolf Hitler offered a reward to anyone who was able to catch the airman.

Group Captain Leonard Cheshire was also stationed at Marston Moor for a short while before leaving to become Commander of the famous 617 Dam Buster squadron.

Wetherby had the only landship north of London, built on Hallfield Lane in 1942 (it later become the local secondary school), named in turn; HMS Cabot, Demetrius, Rodney and Ceres. The base was closed in 1958 and transferred to Chatham.

Throughout the 1960s the town council deliberated over how best to enlarge the town centre to cope with the needs of a growing population and to provide the town with a purpose built supermarket. Plans were put forward to enlarge the town over the ings, or to develop the town centre into a pedestrian precinct. In the end it was decided to build a purpose built shopping precinct, which was built in the 1970s and underwent a significant redevelopment throughout 2003. By 2006 the remaining open parts of the Horsefair Centre were enclosed under a glass canopy roof.

For many years from 1959, the town's bypass started at a roundabout near a Forte Group Posthouse hotel. The roundabout still remains, but the A1 was diverted in July 1988 at a cost of £11.5 m. On 18 December 2004, the northern section of the bypass was substantially diverted to a new section of the A1(M), bypassing Kirk Deighton, after construction work had begun in August 2003. The upgrade of the section between Bramham and Wetherby started in July 2007 and was scheduled to be completed in 2009. The upgrading of the A1 included the Wetherby Services service station at the Wetherby North Junction (near Kirk Deighton). This was to include a large hotel North of the River Wharfe. The upgrading of the A1(M) in Wetherby was to be the final development of it, after 50 years of gradual development to the modern motorway. With the diversion of the A1 away from the Selby Fork (which had once housed a large service area), Wetherby is the next services directly on the A1 after Ferrybridge.

An A1(M) and town bypassing and access scheme started in 1996 and finished in 1999 saw Wetherby bypassed for a fourth time in fifty years. A new road linked all of the routes in and out of the town with the A1(M). The new road linking the town's Deighton Bar area with the Racecourse via the A1(M) and the new Wetherby to Boston Spa link road were part of this.

Blue plaques

Wetherby Town Council have for some years commissioned blue plaques to mark points of notable history, these have been erected at the site of the former castle, the former watermill, the town hall, the Angel public house, the former cattle market, the Red Lion public house, The Shambles, St James' Church as well as other landmarks. The town has no museum of its own, yet the town's history is well documented in Leeds Central Library.

Wetherby in Bloom

In 1989 Wetherby first entered the floral arena when an 'In Bloom' committee was set up. This is now a highly successful volunteer group known as Wetherby in Bloom with charitable status. The achievements over the years have made Wetherby into an internationally recognised award winning floral town with a prestigious Entente Florale gold award in 1999 and an International Communities in Bloom award in 2005. National recognition has been achieved with RHS Britain in Bloom successes in 1998, 2002 and 2010, along with numerous regional gold awards over the last 15 years.

Governance

The coat of arms of the former Wetherby Rural District Council, the first such arms to be granted by the College of Arms to a rural district council, on 7 January 1938. The motto translates as "One government within another."

King George's Field, Wetherby Ings

Since May 2010 Wetherby has been represented by Conservative Party MP Alec Shelbrooke. Wetherby was in the Elmet Constituency, a traditionally marginal seat, taking in towns and areas such as Garforth, Swarcliffe, Kippax, Cross Gates and former mining villages such as Allerton Bywater. As of 2010 the town is part of the enlarged Elmet and Rothwell Constituency

Twinnings

• – Privas, France

Geography

Divisions and suburbs

Wetherby has both residential and industrial districts within the town, and although some of them are not officially recognised as settlements, they are commonly referred to by local residents, community groups and businesses that operate in the areas.

• Micklethwaite – Micklethwaite would have once been referred to as a village in its own right, however the identity of the area as a separate place has gradually disappeared, particularly since the former Micklethwaite Farm buildings were demolished in the 2000s and replaced with around 150 dwellings, as part of a development simply known as 'Micklethwaite'. Micklethwaite is situated South of the River Wharfe, and contains Wetherby's Police Station, magistrates court, Wetherby's largest hotel, the Ramada Jarvis as well as the town's Leisure Centre and Swimming Baths. Wetherby Athletic and Wetherby Bulldogs RLFC play on the Wetherby ings in Micklethwaite, while Wetherby RUFC and Wetherby CC play at Grange Park in the area.

• Linton – Although technically a village in its own right, the boundaries of Linton have grown up towards Wetherby, to such a point that the definitive boundary is now difficult to establish, with residents around the marginal areas citing their addresses differently. The area is home to Wetherby Golf Club, The Windmill Inn public house as well as the Woodhall Hotel and Spa. Linton is to the Western side of Wetherby.

• Ainsty – Ainsty is in the North of Wetherby, off the B1224 Deighton Road. The area's earliest buildings were built around the 1940s. The area is made up of both council housing and private housing. Much of the area was built by developer Norman Ashton in the 1960s. The amenities of the area have declined in recent years, leaving only three shops on the estate, being a Co-op, a small corner shop with a post office, and a decorating shop. The area has had in the last twenty years a sports shop, a launderette, a hardware shop, a sandwich shop and a hairdressers on its parades of shops on Ainsty Road and Aire Road. The Co-op has been a Nisa, Close Buy, Harves and Greens Grocers and the Happy Shopper. The area is separated from neighbouring Deighton Bar by Deighton Gates Primary School.

• Hallfield – Situated in the South East of the town, Hallfield is Wetherby's largest council estate. As well as council houses, the area also has some houses built by the prison service and some sheltered housing. The area is home to Wetherby High School, St James' Primary School, the Wetherby Cemetery, the Church on the Corner, Mason House Community Centre and Mason House Off Licence. A new medical centre has recently been built on the edge of the estate.

• Deighton Bar – Deighton Bar is situated in the North East of Wetherby, bordering Ainsty and Sandbeck as well as the village of Kirk Deighton (which actually falls under North Yorkshire, as does one street within Deighton Bar, Autumn Avenue). The oldest houses in the area is the row of terrace houses on Deighton Road, Allenfield Terrace. The area is home to Deighton Gates primary school, which falls in between Ainsty and Deighton Bar. Most housing in Deighton Bar was built in the late 1970s by Barratts.

• Barleyfields – Barleyfields is a residential area in central Wetherby made up mostly of council housing, however it does also include private and housing association properties. The area's council housing consists of the York Place flats as well as older council housing around Barleyfields Road, Barleyfields Terrace and Woodhill View. Barleyfields' oldest houses are the large Victorian terraces on Sandringham Terrace and the former quarry workers' cottages hidden behind Prospect Villas. The area is broken up by dismantled railways as it is essentially situated in the middle of a large triangular railway junction. The area is home to St Joseph's Primary School, Crossley Street Primary School (between Barleyfields and the town centre) as well as the Barleyfields Community Centre.

• Sandbeck – Sandbeck is home to the Sandbeck Industrial Estate as well as some 1960s Norman Ashton Houses on and around Templar Gardens. There are also some council houses on Law Close. The industrial estate is home to West Yorkshire Steel, Goldenfry Foods, The Forensic Science Service, Mondipack, Swift Research, Dunwood Polymer Services as well as Arvilles Textiles. Towards the edge of the industrial estate is the former site of Sandbeck Motors, a large Vauxhall dealership that closed in late 2012. The town's working mens club is also in this area.

• Linton Park View – Linton Park View is an affluent area made entirely of private houses, mostly built in the 1970s. The area is situated between Spofforth Hill and Linton Lane in the North West of Wetherby.

• Spofforth Hill – Generally named after the main road that runs through it, Spofforth Hill is an affluent area of Wetherby situated off the A661. The area contains many large detached houses dating from Victorian times onwards. In the 1980s and 1990s the area was expanded after Shepherd Homes built a housing estate on former agricultural land. The estate was recognisable as the houses were built of a distinctive looking red brick. This area is often referred to as either the Glebe Field Estate, or to residents who have lived in the area long enough to remember its construction, the Shepherd Estate.

Distances of nearby settlements and places of note

Street plan of the Town Centre.

The following is a list of significant towns and places and their distance from Wetherby; all are taken from Wetherby Town Hall, the shortest road distance is used.

• Collingham – 2.4 miles (3.9 km)
• Boston Spa – 2.4 miles (3.9 km)
• Harewood – 6.2 miles (10.0 km)
• Whinmoor (generally considered the nearest edge of the Leeds Urban Area) – 6.9 miles (11.1 km)
• Tadcaster – 6.9 miles (11.1 km)
• Knaresborough – 7.6 miles (12.2 km)
• Harrogate – 9.4 miles (15.1 km)
• Garforth – 10.8 miles (17.4 km)
• Leeds Bradford International Airport – 11.8 miles (19.0 km)
• Leeds city centre – 12.1 miles (19.5 km)
• Boroughbridge – 13 miles (21 km)
• York – 13.9 miles (22.4 km)
• Knottingley – 18.2 miles (29.3 km)
• Bradford city centre - 23.3 miles (37.5 km)

Demography

Council offices in Wetherby

According to the 2001 UK Census, the Wetherby ward has a population of 22,000 and the immediate town has a population of 11,155. However since this was taken, the immediate town area has grown considerably. 150 new dwellings were built in one development in Micklethwaite, then a further 20 were added, flats have also appeared at the former Motorworld, La Locanda Restaurant, Deighton Road car garage, Fields Works and the cattle market.

Expected growth
Since the relocation of the A1(M), to the North of Wetherby, several acres of previously cut off land has become part of the town. A smaller piece of land will also become available to the south of Wetherby. Although there are no plans to develop these as yet, high land values and demand for housing may bring about large-scale development in the near future.

Economy

Goldenfry factory

Wetherby has a large manufacturing presence, both in the town and on the nearby Thorp Arch Trading Estate. The majority of residents in Wetherby work in Leeds, however many work on the Sandbeck industrial estate, major retailers in the town centre or at Thorp Arch. Particularly big employers in Wetherby are the British Library, Morrisons, Goldenfry Foods and, Moores Furniture and The Forensic Science Service. Residents travel to work in the nearby areas of York, Harrogate, Bradford or Wakefield.

Perhaps the most notable company to emerge from Wetherby is Goldenfry. Goldenfry started life as a Wetherby fish and chip shop, the company now make many products, the most notable being their own brand gravy. Goldenfry manufacture every UK supermarket own brand gravy. Goldenfry is situated on Sandbeck Way.

Inspirepack (formerly Safepack and Mondipack) have a factory on Sandbeck Lane. One of the UK's longest established IT resellers and service providers in the UK, the ICC group, is based at Thorp Arch Estate who currently support 80% of the UK powerstations and specialise in HP/IBM and Dell products and support nationwide.

Farnell (also trading as Premier Farnell or Farnell Instruments) opened their first factory in Wetherby in 1956 (made up of former W.D. huts) on Wetherby's York Road Industrial Estate. The company grew so much that by 1963 they required new premises and moved to a purpose built factory on the town's Sandbeck Industrial Estate. The company specialise in the manufacture and wholesale distribution of Electrical, Electronic and Measurement, Control and Instrumentation equipment. In the 1990s the company left the town and now have their main offices in Armley.

Transport

See also: Wetherby services

Road

The bus station is at the lower end of the Market Place, it was redeveloped in 1995. Since the partial pedestrianisation of the lower end of the Market Place in 2007 the capacity of the bus station has been reduced. The Hallfields Estate, Ainsty Estate and Sandbeck Industrial Estate also have bus services. From Wetherby Bus Station, many services operate, including several National Express coach services. First West Yorkshire run buses to Leeds via Roundhay, Harrogate & District, runs to Leeds via Boston Spa and Seacroft and to Harrogate via Spofforth, Connexionsbuses also run to Harrogate and to York via Tockwith, Eddie Brown run to Bickerton, Arriva buses run to Wakefield via Garforth and Sandla Transport run to Knaresborough, Tadcaster and Otley. The daily footfall is estimated at 1634.

Rail

See also: Wetherby (Linton Road) railway station

Local passenger services between Leeds-Wetherby-Harrogate, and Wetherby and Church Fenton were withdrawn on 6 January 1964, involving closure of Wetherby railway station, amongst others. Currently the closest mainline station to Wetherby is Leeds railway station. Cross Gates railway station, Garforth railway station, Harrogate railway station, Knaresborough railway station and Cattal railway station are also nearby.

Air

The closest airport to Wetherby is Leeds Bradford International Airport. This is situated in the town of Yeadon, but there is no direct route from Wetherby; bus passengers having to travel either via Pool, via Harrogate or via Leeds.

Education

Wetherby High School (formerly Wetherby Secondary Modern)

See also: Wetherby High School and Leeds City College

There are four primary schools situated in Wetherby and one secondary school. There is Crossley Street Primary School, Deighton Gates Primary School, St Josephs Primary School and St James C of E School, which is due for closure in 2012. There is a further secondary school serving Wetherby situated in Boston Spa. The local college in Wetherby is Leeds City College. There are larger colleges in the area such as Thomas Danby College, Leeds College of Technology, Leeds College of Building, Wakefield College and Bradford College. Outside of West Yorkshire there is also York College and Harrogate College. The nearest Universities are The University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University. There are also smaller universities in the area such as The University of York, York St John University, The University of Bradford and The University of Huddersfield.

Present day

North Street, from the Garden of Rest. Showing the main entrance to the Horsefair Centre.

The Horsefair Centre, looking towards Morrisons.

The Forensic Science Service has a laboratory in Wetherby on Sandbeck Way. This is part of the town's large Sandbeck Industrial Estate, also home to Goldenfry Foods, Swift Research Ltd and the town's working men's club.

Wetherby racecourse is a National Hunt racecourse, situated on the B1224 York Road. Opposite the racecourse is Wetherby Young Offender Institution. There is also Wealston Prison situated at Thorp Arch just outside of the town.

Wetherby has a pedestrianised shopping centre The Horsefair Centre, which includes a Morrisons supermarket, Boots the Chemist, Superdrug, Clinton Cards, Specsavers and many other shops. The centre was built in the 1970s after the council decided in the 1960s to opt for a purpose built shopping precinct as opposed to developing the existing town centre into a pedestrian precinct. It underwent further significant development between 2002 and 2005. Original plans for the redevelopment of the town centre, speculated pedestrianising either the High Street or Market Place, building a relief road, bypassing the High Street and demolishing the Red Lion public house and replacing it with modern offices.

The town's branch of Kwiksave recently closed down and has since reopened as a Sainsbury's. This is now Wetherby's fourth supermarket, competing with a Co-op, a Marks and Spencers and the largest of all, the Morrisons branch, which carries the large modern layout of Morrison's flagship branches.

For many years, the Co-op in the Horsefair Centre was the town's main supermarket, other chains looked at moving into the town to compete with the Co-op, Sainsburys looked at building on Micklethwaite Farm, Tesco looked at building on the Jarvis Hotel, Safeway looked at demolishing the lorry park and Hallfields Mansions, diverting Hallfield lane and building a supermarket there, in the end, however Morrisons purchase the Horsefair Centre and went about redeveloping much of the shopping centre as well as the former Co-op supermarket. Sainsburys have now bought the Ramada Hotel site and are planning to build a supermarket at this location.

Since its closure in the 1990s, the town's cattle market has been redeveloped as flats and a Marks and Spencer store. This is an indication of the changing aspect of Wetherby, no longer a rural town but a growing town situated within the Leeds commuter belt.

In August 2008 the MOTO Wetherby service station opened on the B1224, A1(M) intersection, this consists of a BP filling station, a WH Smiths, the town's second Costa Coffee, the town's second Marks and Spencer and a Burger King.

Wetherby's affluent Linton area

The Shambles, was originally built as an entrance to a Market Hall containing ten butchers shops, one of which remains.

On 1 October 2008 the new Wetherby healthcare centre Hallfield Lane Wetherby was officially opened by Colin Burgon Labour Member of Parliament for Elmet The centre was completed in May 2008 and services have been provided from the building since June 2008. The centre has revamped healthcare in Wetherby bringing a range of services under one roof, these include Podiatry Physiotherapy and a baby clinic.

Wetherby is the home to the Martin House Hospice, which provides care and support to families of children with a short life expectancy.

Sport

The town is home to several sporting clubs: Wetherby Athletic AFC, Wetherby Bulldogs RLFC and Wetherby RUFC, all playing at a higher amateur level. Collingham Colts FC and Kirk Deighton Rangers FC also play close to the town.

Wetherby Athletic play in the West Yorkshire League. The club was formed in 1949, from Wetherby AFC and Wetherby Rovers FC. The club groundshare with Wetherby Bulldogs RLFC at the newly refurbished ground on the South bank of the Ings.

Local athletics club Wetherby Runners annually organise The Wetherby Run 10k held on the second Sunday in September at Wetherby Racecourse. Open to all abilities it regularly attracts upward of 1000 runners and is popularly called 'A Cracking Little Yorkshire run'{http://wetherbyrun.org/}

Formed in October 2004, the Wetherby Runners Athletic Club are based at Wetherby Sports Association with a membership of over 160. The club has a mix of male and female athletes, spanning a range of abilities and caters for ages from 10 years and upwards. A junior section compete in West Yorks Track & Field & cross country Leagues. They compete throughout the region in Harrogate Road League [11], Yorkshire Dales Race Series [12], West Yorks Cross Country League as well as taking part in cross country, fell, road races and marathons. [13]

Wetherby Bulldogs are the town's rugby league side who play at the Ings with Wetherby Athletic. The Wetherby Bulldogs play in the Pennine League Division Four (out of a possible eight). The club was formed in 1983, originally playing in the York and District Sunday League. In the 1997/98 season, Wetherby won the league without losing a game, and won the White Rose Cup, playing the final at Featherstone Rovers' Post Office Road ground. By 1999 the club had worked their way up to Yorkshire League Division One.

Wetherby Cricket Club play at Grange Park (adjacent to the South Wetherby A1(M)/A661 intersection). They play in the Wetherby League and the Whixley Evening League. They field two senior sides and a full complement of junior sides, from U-9s to U-17s.

Wetherby Bowling Club was established in 1986 and is situated at Grange Park Sports Centre between the cricket club and the rugby union club. It is one of the few clubs that can offer both Crown Green and Flat Green Bowling including a floodlit mini league which allows the Crown Green to be used in the evening until December. The club has six Crown Green teams (playing in the Harrogate and Tadcaster Leagues) as well as three Flat Green teams. They also offer friendly afternoon matches for those who just want a way to relax and keep fit.

The town's rugby union club also play at Grange Park (adjacent to the South Wetherby A661 road intersection). They ground share here with the town's cricket and bowls clubs. Although the ground is also situated adjacent to the River Wharfe, unlike the Ings it is not prone to flooding due to its height above the river. The club relocated here after playing temporarily at Kirk Deighton Rangers AFC's Loshpot Lane ground in 1990. Since then they have built a new clubhouse, car parking and floodlit pitches. The club have plans to develop their Grange Park ground in the future. These plans include the extending of the current clubhouse (which has been planned now in some form for over a decade) and a new stand adjacent to the first pitch.

Wetherby Golf Club proudly boasts an 18-hole golf course, constructed in two loops of 9-holes, with stunning views of the River Wharfe as it winds its way from Collingham to Wetherby along the Wetherby Ings where, 100 years ago, steeplechase racing was the major sporting activity. In order to meet the requirements of the modern game the course has been recently extended to almost 6,700 yards with five variable tee positions providing a course to suit all ages and golfing abilities. The clubhouse also boasts a snooker room and 100-seat diners' lounge.

The route of The White Rose Way, a long distance walk from Leeds to Scarborough passes through the town.

Crime

Crime is generally lower in Wetherby than in most areas of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. In recent years the town centre has had problems with antisocial behaviour. To combat this CCTV has been installed, the Horsefair Centre is closed at night and a series of ASBOs have been issued by Leeds City Council. Problems with antisocial behaviour have been blamed for driving away shoppers.

The town has slight problems with shop lifting, burglary, antisocial behaviour, vandalism and violence in the town centre on a night after closing time. More serious crimes are on the whole rare.

Although crime is low in comparison to that across Leeds, it is higher than the national average. Wetherby has above average statistics for theft of motor vehicles, theft from motor vehicles, burglary and violence against the person.

The town has its own Police Station and is in the North East Leeds, West Yorkshire Police division. The local police force is the West Yorkshire Police. The town's magistrates court recently closed down.

Wetherby Town Council released the following statement, following the recent 'epidemic' of antisocial behaviour in the town centre.

The antisocial behaviour of the few is once again affecting the pleasure of living, working or just visiting Wetherby. There are reports of a group of 'hoodies' intimidating people down at the River Wharfe. They are targeting every age range with their obscene language, threatening remarks and general conduct. In addition, I think we have all seen the havoc and devastation to the picnic area which may have been the handiwork of the same group.

Religion

St James' Church in Wetherby, Wetherby's largest church.

There are five churches in Wetherby:

• Bank Street Methodist Church [14]
• Wetherby Baptist Church [15]
• St James Parish Church[16]
  • The Church on the Corner is a part of St. James Church which meets in the old Cemetery Chapel on Hallfield Lane. The church is situated in two small chapels, which are mostly used as chapels of rest.
• St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church – The present church building was opened in 1986 and won the Leeds award for Architecture in 1987. Two smaller Catholic churches in Bardsey and Sicklinghall operate as satellite churches to the Wetherby one and do not have their own ministers.
• Wetherby Community Church of the Salvation Army [17]

The Baptist Church was originally Anglican and was known as Barleyfields Church. Early in 2009 it became part of the Baptist Union of Great Britain. The church originally met in the Barleyfields Centre, but moved to Deighton Gates School in September 2009. There is also All Saints C of E church in Kirk Deighton which for many in North Wetherby is the closest church.

The Wetherby Secular Forum [18] is a Wetherby-based campaign group of Atheists from the North East Leeds Area.

Media

Wetherby Cinema

• The town's local Paper is the Wetherby News and the local lifestyle magazine is Excelle magazine, based in Boston Spa.
• Tempo FM is the local radio station. The regional radio station is BBC Radio Leeds.
• Wetherby Film Theatre is an independent, traditional single screen cinema situated on Caxton Street.
• The regional newspaper in the area is the Yorkshire Evening Post

The regional BBC televised news is Look North. Topographical features between Emley Moor transmitting station and the town mean many buildings can only receive Tyne Tees from the Bilsdale transmitting station. Regional radio stations include Stray FM (Harrogate), Radio Aire (Leeds), The Pulse of West Yorkshire (Bradford), BBC Radio Leeds, Minster FM (York), Viking FM (Kingston Upon Hull).

Racecourse

The three stands at Wetherby Racecourse, taken during a Sunday Market in 2008

Wetherby Racecourse was originally located on the King George V playing fields at the Ings or Scaur Bank on Linton Road. It moved to its current site on the B1224 York Road and is the only racecourse in Yorkshire to stage only jump racing. There has been debate as to whether to introduce a flat course. The course is a left hand oval with easy bends. In 1999 the new millennium stand opened, providing the racecourse with executive facilities, making it possible to compete with York, Pontefract, Ripon and Thirsk). It has three stands, one constructed in the 1930s with football style terracing, a two-tier seated stand constructed in the 1970s and the new Millennium Stand.

Housing

Medium rise council flats in Wetherby around York Place.

In 1914, 100 dwellings in Wetherby were considered unfit for habitation. This and previous reports under the Housing and Town Planning Act 1909 led to the building of many 'villas'. There are many surviving examples of these, such as Park Villas, York Place, Grosvenor Terrace and Sandringham Terrace. Landlords found these hard to let due to exorbitant rents and many remained empty for years. This also led to the demolition of the town's Bishopgate Area. In 1910 the parish council started a programme to install street lighting in the hope of bettering the standard of living and reducing crime. It was not until the post war years the large housing estates appeared throughout Wetherby. From the 1940s until the 1980s, many large estates were built from scratch. Both the local corporation and the private sector built many houses to satisfy the huge demand for homes in Wetherby. Developer Norman Ashton's company Ashtons were responsible for much of the housing in Wetherby, particularly around the Ainsty Estate, Hall Orchards and Templar Gardens area. Most housing in the town is from these years. There is a wide variety of housing types in Wetherby, including waterside penthouses, council flats and maisonettes, large detached houses, small terraces and probably the most common, the three bedroomed twentieth century semi-detached home.

Public houses

Black Bull in 2003, prior to refurbishment

In its hey-day Wetherby had seventeen pubs in its town centre. Only eleven now remain, of which ten are still open. The town's oldest surviving pub the 'Brunswick Hotel' closed in 2003 and reopened as Harris' Bar, and in 2012 reopened again as The Brunswick after refurbishment by Enterprise Inns. The Three Legs public house closed in 2007 and became "bar Thr3" (Wetherby's first non smoking pub).

During the Second World War, The Angel public house served German and Italian prisoners of war from the nearby camps and, being the only pub in the town to do so, attracted some controversy as a result.

A mock news report, filmed in Wetherby about fictional pub 'The Kings Head', was broadcast by Soccer AM and claimed that the pub was being converted into a new 'American style sports bar'. Wetherby residents, all portrayed as working-class Northern stereotypes, were interviewed and were all dismayed, agreeing that "change was bad".

Pubs in Wetherby

High Street

• The Red Lion - owned by Punch Taverns
• The Crown - owned by Samuel Smith's Old Brewery
• The Brunswick (named Harris' Bar 2003-12) - owned by Enterprise Inns
• The Angel (Now St Angelos) - owned by Westgate Leisure

North Street

• The Swan and Talbot - owned by Enterprise Inns
• The Royal Oak - owned by Enterprise Inns

The Market Place

• Bar Thr3 (formerly The Three Legs) - owned by Enterprise Inns
• The Black Bull - owned by Enterprise Inns

Westgate

• The New Inn - owned by Weir Inns

Scott Lane

• Retro (formerly No 7)(Closed 2010) - owned by private investors, now vacant

Bank Street

• Muse - owned by Market Town Taverns

Lost pubs

• The George and Dragon (situated at the bottom of the High Street, closed 2010, now occupied by shops, owned by Enterprise Inns until closure)
• The Blue Boar (also known as the White Hart in its time) was situated between the High Street and the Shambles, its former existence is evident by White Hart Yard (situated off the Shambles).
• The Fox Inn (situated on Bank Street adjacent to the Methodist Chapel).
• The Bowling Green Inn (situated on North Street, where the Garden of Rest is now situated. This was demolished in order to widen the road).
• The Duke of Devonshire (situated on Westgate, where the Halifax Estate Agency is now situated).

Private members clubs

Wetherby has several private members clubs. The Wetherby Sports Association is based on Lodge Lane, adjacent to the swimming baths and the ings. The facilities there were recently built with National Lottery funding. This serves both the football and rugby league teams as well as other members of the association. There is also a similar club at Grange Park, serving members of the town's rugby union, cricket and bowls clubs as well as members of its committee and association. The town's main Working Men's Club, Wetherby and District Social Club is based on the Sandbeck Industrial Estate. This burnt down in a fire in 2002. The fire was initially treated as suspicious by West Yorkshire Police, however investigations were taken no further. The club was rebuilt in its original location. As was the case in Belle Isle the rebuilt club was significantly larger than its predecessor and offered its members far superior facilities.

Events

Wetherby is the starting point for the Great Yorkshire Bike Ride. This is an annual event, held every June. The seventy mile ride starts at Wetherby Racecourse and ending in Filey. The event has raised nearly two million pounds for charity since starting out in 1984 with only 284 riders. In 2007 1,494 riders raised £119,575.

The Wetherby Festival [19] is held in the town, across various venues, annually. Both Leeds City Council and Wetherby Town Council sponsor the event. The Wetherby Festival, an annual event, promotes the arts in Wetherby by providing a platform for local groups to perform and to bring in other performers and art forms.

Wetherby Services

Main article: Wetherby Services

Wetherby service station opened in 2008. Located on the town's northern junction with the A1(M) near Kirk Deighton and Ingmanthorpe, the new service station uses the latest 'green technologies' in its construction and running, making it the UK's first carbon neutral service station. The service station includes a 126 bed Days Inn hotel and is run by Moto. This is the first major hotel in the North of the town. The service station is in North Yorkshire and so under separate jurisdiction to Wetherby. The services opened in August 2008, with the hotel opening the following summer.

Notable people

See also: List of people from Leeds

Wetherby born World War Two flying Ace 'Ginger' Lacey

• Flight Lieutenant 'Ginger' Lacey, a Battle of Britain flying ace, was born in Wetherby. Lacey Grove is named after him.
• Hayton Drive is named after schoolboy David John Hayton, who drowned in the River Wharfe while trying to save a friend.
• 'The Beer Hunter', Michael Jackson was born in Wetherby. Jackson wrote several popular books about beer and whisky and hosted Channel 4 documentary The Beer Hunter. Jackson was also widely known in rugby league circles.
• Former goalkeeper Stuart Naylor was born in Wetherby in 1962. He was capped three times for the England B team in the 1980s
• Yorkshire Cricketer Charles Midgley was born in Wetherby in 1877.
• Karen Drury, best known for her role as Susannah Morrisey (previously Susannah Farnham) in former Channel 4 soap, Brookside was brought up in the Micklethwaite area of Wetherby
• Former Conservative MP and MEP Robert Sturdy was born in Wetherby. He has never represented Yorkshire constituencies, contending seats in the Tory heartlands of Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.
• Essex Cricketer Fred Cooper was born in Wetherby in 1888
• Middlesbrough F.C. footballer, Seb Hines is from the Hallfields Estate in Wetherby.
• Skins Actor Sam Jackson also comes from Wetherby, and was born in October 1993.

References

Bibliography

• Wetherby The History of a Yorkshire Market Town, Robert Unwin
• Wetherby (The Archive Photographic Series)

External links

• Wetherby Golf Club
• Wetherby Race Course
• Wetherby Wine Circle
• Wetherby Cricket Club
• Wetherby Musical Theatre Group
• Tempo FM (Wetherby Community Radio)
• Wetherby Civic Society
• Wetherby Air Cadets
• "The Ancient Parish of Spofforth". GENUKI. Retrieved 29 October 2007. Wetherby was in this parish