New barber Blendz into the continuing changes in Kirkgate

No 74 Kirgate, previously occupied by Silsden Vets, has a new lease of life as a barber's shop, run by Haider Ali, who is pictured above at the premises. He has been a barber for six years and the Silsden venture, called Blendz, is his first own-account business. Ali, who is from Wibsey, says he chose to open in Silsden because it looked a good place to be.

 

Wharfedale naturalist's focus on the changing biodiversity of the local countryside

Silsden Campaign for the Countryside organised a talk on the changing biodiversity of  our local countryside. The speaker was Dr Ian Brand (on the left), who chairs Wharfedale Naturalists. He is pictured with Caroline Whitaker, one of Silsden's three Green Party councillors at City Hall, and Mark Wogden, who chairs Silsden Campaign for the Countryside. The well-attended illustrated talk was held at Silsden Methodist Church on Tuesday October 29th.

Popular Kurdish barber takes a short cut to Kirkgate (from Bolton Road)

Popular Kurdish barber Saim Sarwan (pictured above), who opened his first shop at 5 Bolton Road, Silsden, in April 2021, has moved to No. 49 Kirkgate, which Saim says is bigger and in a better location than his previous premises (see my Blog of June 30th 2021), which he has vacated. The new shop is called Master Fade. The fade is a stylish and fashionable haircut. The customer pictured above having a flame treatment is Tom Cunningham.

No. 49 Kirkgate was a pharmacy for a long time but then had three changes of use in the last five years, as The Yorkshire Vaper, Dessert Bae and Raven Forge before its dazzling transformation into Master Fade.

New Briggate hairdresser sees more opportunities ahead as Silsden expands

After more than 20 years as a hairdresser renting space at other shops, Laura Davison has opened her own business, called Themis, in Briggate. Laura is pictured standing (left) with Bethany Lazenby, who will be renting a chair at the newly refurbished shop, which is pictured below. Laura was a hairdresser in Bradford and Halifax before taking a chair in Cross Hills and then for the last two years or so in Silsden. She has gone into business on her own account in Silsden spurred by the prospect of increased local housing offering more new customers.                         

Laura has chosen the shop's name in memory of the legendary singer-songwriter and poet Jim Morrison, of the 1960s rock band The Doors, whose interests included Greek mythology.

 

End of an era as one of Silsden's oldest and best-known businesses moves out of BriggateThe Silsden estate agents business started by Dennis Knowles more than 60 years ago has left its Briggate home (pictured above). Notices in the windows announce that Whitaker Cadre, which describes itself as a lettings specialist with offices in Ilkley, Leeds and Harrogate, has acquired Knowles by Zenko Properties. Knowles Estate Agency was sold to Leeds-based Zenko a few years ago by owner Michael Knowles, son of the founder. Whitaker Cadre says it has merged the Silsden acquisition with its Ilkley office and can be found at The Point in Lower Railway Road, Ilkley. The Briggate office employed three people.

Michael left the Knowles estate agency five years ago, following the Zenko purchase. He had helped run the local business for more than 40 years, having worked alongside his father before taking over. Dennis, who died in his early 80s in 2008, was one of Silsden's best-known businessmen and had been chairman of the Civic Society. Dennis started as a wholesale supplier of decorating materials before becoming an estate agent, under Harold Crane's tutelage, in about 1963. The Knowles office was originally on the ground floor of the old Yorkshire Bank building, as can be seen on the right in the above late-1960s photograph, and moved to the other side of Briggate when the Electricity Board showroom closed.

The photograph above shows the Knowles office about 12 years ago in the days of its unrivalled local standing. The estate agency continued there until shutting last week (July 19th). Director Matthew Lamb says Whitaker Cadre already has an established portfolio in Silsden, serviced from the Ilkley office, and the acquisition of the lettings business of Knowles by Zenco Properties is a natural expansion, which will be conducted under the Whitaker Cadre name. 

 

Charlotte or should it be shallot? A new face at the allotments

Gardening friends Linda Waterhouse (pictured on the left) and Liz Mortimer have added a newcomer to their Silsden allotment. Their skilfully assembled scarecrow, tastefully named Charlotte, has become a growing hit with the other members of Silsden Allotment Association. Linda and Liz each gardened larger plots until they decided to downsize this year. Rather than give up their hobby, they agreed to share a smaller plot, which still has room for Charlotte to be a colourful showpiece.

Town Hall showcases unique Silsden in Art exhibition of paintings and photographs

Silsden in Art, a major exhibition of paintings by local artists and images by local photographers, takes place at Silsden Town Hall over the Easter weekend. Pictured  above is Colin Neville, author of the Silsden in Art book, which accompanies the unique showcase of the arts scene in the area past and present.

The show has been organised by representatives of Silsden Local History Group, Silsden Photography Group, the Town Hall and Colin's Not Just Hockney art project. The picture above from the exhibition is a work by one of Silsden's most successful artists, Joseph West, who painted this scene of Raikes Road (now Bradley Road) looking towards the town, in 1919.

The exhibition illustrates how Silsden and the surrounding countryside was portrayed by artists in the past and how it is seen today. Many of the artworks have been loaned by local residents. The above view of Lumb Clough Bridge on Holden Beck was painted in 1900 by William Lambert, either just before or as a memorial just after the old structure was swept away in a flood in July of that year. Information boards will highlight other renowned Silsden-born artists of yesteryear. There will also be a display about Silsden's long-gone Picture Palace cinema.

More than 50 paintings will be featured and there will be over 100 pictures of local scenes by present-day photographers. The above image of the canal between Silsden and Kildwick was taken in 1900 by Alexander Keighley, a pioneer of pictorial movement in photography, who lived at Steeton Hall. The modern photograph below of canal boats near Silsden was taken by John Moody and will also be on display.

There will be art demonstrations by local artists and a cafe on the Saturday. Funds raised by the exhibition, including profits from sales of the Silsden in Art book, will go to the community-run Town Hall. The event opens at 9.30am on Easter Saturday, March 30th, and at 2pm on Easter Sunday, closing at 4pm on both days. Entry is free although donations for the upkeep of the Town Hall will be welcomed.