Opinion: Spenborough Chamber of Trade chairwoman Viv Laycock

I am constantly getting lovely comments about how “they put a smile on your face” and “lift your spirits”.

A lady customer came from Thackley to Cleckheaton for the first time and said “how pretty” Cleckheaton is. I feel really proud!

Cleckheaton has been selected as one of the two areas in Kirklees to deliver a Community Alcohol Partnership which is a project to reduce under-age drinking.

It will involve working with shops, pubs, enforcement agencies, schools and parents to reduce the access young people have to alcohol and to inform them about sensible drinking limits.

The Alcohol Partnership will build on existing work by the council’s trading standards service and local police teams.

It is tried and tested and works to create better, safer and friendlier neighbourhoods.

Cleckheaton Folk Festival provided a fabulous weekend of music, entertainment and dance. The market stalls were greatly missed this year.

Due to cutbacks, Kirklees no longer fund these, and the Chamber agreed to take over the arrangements on behalf of the Folk Festival Committee.

Sadly, because of a multitude of local Tour de France activities, the usual stalls were all booked out elsewhere and there were no stalls of a suitable size available.

There was also a mix-up over the dates for the necessary road closures – a genuine mistake, and very regrettable.

However, the good news is that all the arrangements for the stalls at the Christmas market have been made so we have that to look forward to!

Finally, we have a new shop in Cross Crown Street to add to Cleckheaton’s enviable array of unique, independent traders – Fused Canvas.