THE UNDERRATED YORKSHIRE CITY WITH AN UNFAIR BAD REPUTATION

There’s a team within Wakefield Council that promotes the city as a tourist destination. A tough job, you might think.

Well, perhaps not.

We know Wakefield has plenty to see in the surrounding area. Serious attractions like Nostell Priory , Sandal Castle and Pugneys Country Park are all within a few miles of the city centre.

But the city centre itself? Isn’t it a bit depressing?

Oh dear. There’s that word again – ‘depressing’. It’s an adjective used flippantly and often in conjunction with Yorkshire’s post-industrial cities and towns. Wakefield is one such city; it grew and thrived on wool and coal mining until the mid-20th century.

Then it became a party city. The infamous ‘Westgate run’, a pub crawl from just outside the city centre to the top of Westgate, used to attract revellers by the bus load from the 1980s to the early 2000s. But that’s much quieter now in an era of streaming films and loss leading supermarket booze.

So is there anything left to see in Wakefield city centre? Yes, of course. Let’s start with the history and architecture.

Wakefield has been occupied since the bronze age but its name comes from the Old English meaning ‘Waca’s field’, or possibly ‘party field’. We prefer the latter because, by sheer coincidence, it ties in with the hard partying that took place in the city in the 1980s and 90s.

Architecturally, Wakefield is an underrated gem. Yes, I said ‘gem’.

While all British towns and cities have something of note, Wakefield has more than most for a settlement of its size. It’s shabby in some places but still of considerable interest. In fact, there are too many buildings to note here but here’s a quick tour of them.

READ MORE: IN PICTURES: Out and about in Wakefield

At the end of Cross Square and the de facto centre of Wakefield is the city’s mighty cathedral. It’s a grade I-listed unit of a cathedral with parts from the 12th and 13th century. The open space outside the cathedral is pleasantly landscaped and well maintained with benches under the shade of palm trees. Palm trees? Maybe they’re aspirational.

You can head in almost any direction from the cathedral and find something of interest.

Wood Street was – and still is to some extent – where all the important civic stuff happened. It’s mightily impressive from the former Bank Manager’s House at the bottom to the grade I-listed town hall in the middle to the former crown court at the top.

The grade II*-listed courthouse is boarded up. The council’s plan to turn it into a performance space was derailed in 2023 by sharply rising costs. There are, however, plans to transform the equally handsome former police station opposite into flats.

Most impressive of all is the grade-I listed County Hall, a large art nouveau building with Italian-influenced decorations, across Cliff Parade from the former crown court.

Branching off Cliff Parade and Wood Street is small criss-crossing network of narrow side streets tightly packed with redbrick buildings. It’s the kind of place that looks permanently Victorian. Remove the few cars, add some horse manure and you’ll be transported back to the 19th century. Almost.

Other buildings of note include the former Carnegie Hall, in Drury Lane, which is now an arts centre and the Edwardian redbrick Unity House around the corner on Westgate.

Westgate may have been famous for its numerous bars and clubs – there are still a fair few – but they’re housed in some interesting buildings including the former Wakefield and Barnsley Union Bank at number 57 and 59.

I should probably mention HMP Wakefield, aka ‘Monster Mansion’, opposite Wakefield Westgate Station. It has long housed some of Britain’s most dangerous criminals. Serial killer GP Harold Shipman hanged himself there, for example.

Inevitably that means HMP Wakefield holds a ghoulish attraction. The best public view of this early Victorian clink is from platform two of Wakefield Westgate Station although you may need a train ticket to access it.

Going further back in time there’s an early 17th-century timber framed building on Silver Street. The frontage is undergoing restoration and the shop units below are empty. Older is a late-16th century former grammar school on Market Walk. And older still is a 15th-century timber framed shop on Northgate which is now a pizzeria.

Fine, so Wakefield has architecture but will I have to go to Greggs for lunch? You can go to Greggs (and there’s nothing wrong with that) but you don’t have to because Wakefield is a surprisingly culinary place.

Northgate hosts the greatest concentration of cafes and restaurants. There’s Boogie Woogie , a bagel bar that plays jazz and Fino , the pizzeria we were talking about two paragraphs ago.

There’s stuff from all around the globe including Corarima , an Eritrean restaurant, on Cross Street. And for an inexpensive non-boring lunch, try Silver Spice , a low-key curry cafe on Silver Street.

Right, I’m thirsty.

OK, if you’re really, really ‘thirsty’ the bottom end of Westgate is still full of pubs, bars and clubs. But for sipping rather than chugging try the tiled Black Rock, on Cross Square or Harry’s Bar, on Westgate.

In terms of entertainment that doesn’t have to involve eating or drinking, there’s the grand Theatre Royal on Westgate or Venue 23 and The Hop for live music. There does seem to be somewhat of focus on rock tribute bands which won’t get everyone salivating.

However, Wakey has another rare gem; an actual jazz club. Wakefield Jazz (good name) just outside the ring road could close next year. We hope not.

Shopping-wise Wakefield is surprisingly good despite empty units at the top end of Westgate. It has all the regular chains but also a remarkably wide selection of independent shops.

One such shop is The Black Swan Shoppe, an old-school tobacconist that sells Cuban cigars. Another is Wah Wah Records on Cross Square which attracts vinyl hunters from out of town.

Wakefield has been been touted as upcoming. I don’t know if that’s a case of fake it until you make it but it does seem like a place where good new stuff is happening.

There’s development work taking places in any direction you care to look. In the summer cafes, restaurants and bars in the pedestrianised bits of the city centre put out tables and chairs. It isn’t Paris yet but it’s a baby step in that direction. The Ridings shopping mall is now full of indies.

Scott Wainwright of Wah Wah Records says: “Wakefield gets a bad reputation but it’s comparable to some city centres.

“There’s a lot on your doorstep,” he adds.

Wakefield’s oldest pub The Black Swan (established circa 1683) is currently undergoing redevelopment. Formerly in the “three shots for £6” category, the venue on Silver Street is undergoing a more tasteful relaunch courtesy of Liquid Arts which has a portfolio of trendy bars around Greater Manchester.

Co-director Doug Smith is interviewing bar staff when I catch him. He hopes to bring a spot of ‘Mancunian chic’ to Wakefield.

Doug says: “There’s a wave of gentrification in Wakefield we’re hoping to ride…

“There’s a bustling nightlife here and we’re looking to be a part of it.”

Philip Bayliss, of Robin Taylor Fine Arts, Carter Street agrees. He says: “It’s improving. I’ve been her 26 years and I’ve noticed a big change.”

There’s a negative perception of Wakefield although nobody seems to know why. All northern post-industrial towns and cities have potential but with its outstanding historic core, Wakefield has a bigger head start than most.

Besides, what is this negative reputation based on? Nobody seems to know. Perhaps it’s outdated nonsense. I wonder if the people who have written off Wakefield have actually been.

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2024-09-15T11:05:17Z dg43tfdfdgfd