Businesses 'frustrated' by work to revamp mill town

It's the picturesque mill town where the BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine was filmed. Yet residents of Holmfirth in West Yorkshire have become increasingly frustrated with ongoing work to "revamp" the streets designed to entice more visitors.

The £10m improvement project includes a new community space in the former markets area; new pavements; footpath widening; more parking and better accessibility.

Yet the disruption has affected trade at businesses whose owners have complained about noise, rubble, traffic and parking issues.

One staff member at a car parts shop on Hollowgate told the BBC: "The work is killing Holmfirth. We used to have 50 people a day come in - now it's down to about 10."

Marcus Thackray, from Wheelsbrook Services, also said: "Nobody is coming into Holmfirth - there's a big time decrease in footfall.

"There's nowhere to park. One of our delivery drivers has been queuing for 20 minutes just to get into town - and sometimes they just turn around and go back."

He added: "The council need to get it sorted out. They say they're on target but we've not seen any work done on the big car park since last July."

The Holmfirth Town Centre Access Plan works began in June and were due to be completed in November - but work is still ongoing.

Kirklees Council said: "Our plans for Holmfirth town centre are deeply rooted in helping local businesses succeed and thrive, but we do appreciate that improvement schemes can cause disruption, and that some businesses have faced challenges as a result."

The local authority also said the future events space site was adjacent to the river so Environment Agency regulations must be "respected" in order to "protect the sensitive ecosystem".

"Which is why work in this area is sometimes restricted", they added.

As well as the events space and car park the council said there would be more electric vehicle charging points and improved drainage.

The pedestrian crossing on Victoria Street will also be signalised, along with improved street lighting, traffic signals and signage.

Almost every business in Holmfirth is locally run. They range from tiny, boutique crystal shops to the cosily-named Wrinkled Stocking Tearoom.

Some are quite tucked away and the traffic and pedestrian diversions are tucking them away even further.

Hobsons Florist is located directly overlooking the old market hall, where the events space and a new car park will be.

It is probably the messiest-looking area of the town and is being used as a space for all the project's debris.

Owner Katrina Watson took over the business last June.

She said the traffic jams were having an adverse effect on her business and sometimes she struggles to get to funerals with casket sprays.

"My colleague was running up the road with one while I was sat in the traffic to go to the next funeral director's the other day. It's things like that."

Ms Watson said previously she would have customers popping in every 30 minutes but now it was far fewer.

She also said the lack of disabled parking was deterring elderly people from coming into the town.

Ms Watson added: "It's the traffic bothering most people, it's horrendous."

But she said the town would be "amazing" when the work was completed and that everyone was "hanging on in there" and supporting each other.

The council told the BBC that following feedback, additional short-stay parking at the council office car park had been provided.

It also said bus services continued to operate as normal although some journeys may have diversion routes.

GG's Artisan Bakery and Deli is located at the other end of the town, near the River Holme and opposite roadworks where new pavements are being laid.

It is a relatively new business and next door to a florist that is due to shut down.

Bakery owner Andrew Jones, who opened the shop in October 2024, said the roadworks were "irksome and frustrating" but were an "investment in the future".

"Already we are getting compliments in the uplift of the town. There's a real vibrancy in the village," he said.

"In a perfect world we would like the roadworks to be finished sooner rather than later but in the short term it's a necessary evil."

Mr Jones added that the completion "can't come soon enough" but it was important to "celebrate the strength of the local business community".

Meanwhile, the town's many restaurants have been hit too.

Some of the cafes' outside areas are feet away from the mini diggers and barriers.

Beng Yau Lim, owner of Poppa Piccolinos restaurant, which also overlooks the demolished car park, told the BBC that despite his takings being down he was remaining positive.

"Sales have dropped but the plans will make the town better," he said.

"It would be nice if it could be sped up as locals living here, sometimes it is a bit frustrating - traffic is a main concern, people get stuck."

Mr Lim added: "We want people to come to Holmfirth. Roll on summer."

Councillor Moses Crook, deputy leader of Kirklees Council, said: "I have been and will continue to chat with residents and business owners about the project and address any concerns raised.

"A project liaison officer was appointed and remains a key point of contact between the construction management team and businesses in the town and written updates are also in circulation."

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