Anyone live in Hebden Bridge?

[plsdontlookatme]

I've long been curious - I (female, late twenties, single) am looking to relocate and Hebden Bridge really speaks to me. Do I need to be disillusioned? I feel most at home in places with an alternative/creative/radical vibe, a significant enough LGBT scene, and enough poncey coffee spots (luckily, these things all tend to go hand in hand 😁). If I felt right at home in Bristol and Nottingham, will Hebden Bridge feel too small? Is it too touristy? Is it too tricky for jobs? All thoughts gratefully received!

It's popular and expensive - for good reason. It's all the things mentioned here - good and bad. But it's also really well connected by public transport, it has good, easily accessible countryside. Hard castle Crags is on the outskirts of town for example. Good schools, excellent shops, independent cinema, theatre, gyms, nightclub, few good restaurants, lots of pubs and cafes..Lots for kids to do.
More affordable to live in Todmorden or Mytholmroyd or hilltop villages - especially if you like your weather full on.
But, there are lots of interesting places to live outside of Huddersfield - like Slaithwaite. Although Huddersfield is pretty grim, despite the pretty decent university. Train service might be better once the upgrades are finished.

Apparently, a common complaint is that you can buy 3999999 different types of tofu and lentil non dairy milk shakes but impossible to buy a light bulb !!

I found it a bit ‘ominous’ and it gave me the creeps. I think it was being in a valley.

I visit my friends there often. You would be SO disappointed if you compare to Bristol and Nottingham. Definitely small town vibes, great for over 40's and wealth. Zero city action, massive smalltown vibes. Avoid. Until you are 55+ maybe.

30 years ago it was coooool and rather BBC/TV creativeish. Then loads of “blow-ins” came, many part of LGBTQ+ scene and also (Venn diagram) ND types and vegans. The successful creatives moved out and it’s all rather has-been.

How about Totnes?

Earnest vegans love this, I know just the type!

I used to work in HB and live close to there. It has one of the highest suicide rates in country. ExH went to school there and lost a few teenage friends to suicide.

And now those lesbians can have a penis.
I went a couple of years ago as a day out, it was fine for a few hours, but definitely on the rougher side and I wouldn't want to be stuck in that oppressive valley.

I went because of that!

Tod was very much Hebdens poorer less cool relation but last time I visited I really liked it.
I really like Slaithwaite now, nice restaurants and indpendent shops. My dog groomer is there so every time he goes I have a potter round and get a coffee.
Its quite small though but did recently get a Lidl

What an odd thing to say. Are you actually using a thread on the property board to let everyone know that you’re transphobic despite this thread having nothing to do with that?

I aspire to have the amount of free time you do. Please find something more productive to do with your time.

Oh good. Another transphobe trying to derail the thread. I’m sure that’s what the OP was hoping for, to ask a reasonable question and then be reminded there are lunatics on here who spend all their time thinking about the genitals of strangers.

OP, you’ve had a lot of great advice on this post (obviously not from the two idiots I’ve quoted). HB is perfectly nice but as a lot have said, only to visit and not to live. The valley is a bit oppressive and most of your practical needs will only be met with a trip out of town, perhaps up to Halifax or Todmorden.

Lived there - moved out.
Trains to Leeds/Mcr often cancelled.
Rammed full of tourists Thurs- Sun
Often wearing those Dry robe coats/pushing dogs in prams.
Shops selling expensive pointless crap.
Horrible at weekends in summer - loads of gangs of pissed lads/hen does.
Oppressive steep valley sides. Damp.
20 years ago a nice place to be - now avoid.

Lived there - moved out.
Trains to Leeds/Mcr often cancelled.
Rammed full of tourists Thurs- Sun
Often wearing those Dry robe coats/pushing dogs in prams.
Shops selling expensive pointless crap.
Horrible at weekends in summer - loads of gangs of pissed lads/hen does.
Oppressive steep valley sides. Damp.
20 years ago a nice place to be - now avoid.

Thank you all for the really interesting replies! I can confirm I am very much an LGBT, ND, earnestly tofu-seeking Dry Robe blow-in from down south 😂But yes, sounds more like one to visit than one to live in. I imagine blow-ins have quite a seismic effect on smaller towns, which is a shame for the locals. I'm currently living in my hometown (tourist trap, seedy after dark, highest inequality in the country, pushed out by wealthy Londoners who were probably themselves pushed out of London) so I really do empathise and don't want to be part of a problem.

Good to know that the valley creates quite an oppressive feeling--I couldn't even hack Bath for precisely this reason.

I absolutely love suggestions, so thank you also to those who have added those. Sheffield is on the list, I'm going to have a look around it in a couple of weeks!

I'm sorry to hear this -- I really think this country treats people living in the regions (dare I say it, especially in the North and Midlands) like crap, and hoards opportunity in London and the South East.

My DD is living in Sheffield and loves it! Lovely small city vibes.

Have you thought about Shipley/Saltaire?

Saltaire looks amazing!

Whilst you’re in Sheffield, check out Holmfirth too; maybe also Penistone (45 mins on train from Sheffield) if you can.

The suicide thing is not right . It came from a very inaccurate report many years ago.
The hen parties etc tend to stick to the pubs in one area near the main road. I lived close to the centre in a conservation area for many years and never had a hint of trouble or noise.
I would disagree that HB is only for older people. Quite the opposite.

I think there’s something in it. How many other small towns have a documentary about the local suicide and drugs problem?

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt1531010/

It has an odd atmosphere. And sometimes literal gloom, of course, because of the steep valley walls. I would not want to live there (although as previous posters have said it can be a lovely daytrip).

I thought the flooding was the worst issue but my mind has been enlightened now

Aware of the doc, all too well.it was based on flawed research.