Jeffrey Shaw Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Er, well, that's the topic of a balmy BBC 'News' item today. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26472423 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister M Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 How strange...I've been to Hebden Bridge many a time, I grew up not far from there....It can be called a lot of things, but not a city Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenRivers Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Do the BBC have a thing for Hebden Bridge? Why is Hebden Bridge the lesbian capital? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Shaw Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 Do the BBC have a thing for Hebden Bridge? Why is Hebden Bridge the lesbian capital? Maybe there's a clue in that link's wording! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altus Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Er, well, that's the topic of a balmy BBC 'News' item today. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26472423 You didn't read the article then? However, there is an interesting alternative suggestion - Hebden Bridge. It is not a suggestion to take literally, but it does make an important point. Hebden Bridge, nestling in the Pennines between Manchester and Leeds, is certainly one of the most interesting and flourishing towns in the UK. It was once declared the "fourth funkiest town in the world" (whatever that means) and is often said to be the lesbian capital of the UK. The suggestion that it is Britain's second city came from resident David Fletcher, who was active in the 80s saving the town's old mills and converting them to modern use. His point is that Hebden Bridge is an inverted city with a greenbelt centre and suburbs called Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool. His point was that the real second city of the UK is a northern, trans-Pennine strip that extends the relatively short distance across northern England, joining the built-up areas that lie second, fourth and sixth in the UK ranking. Certainly, Hebden Bridge has attracted a lot of professional couples who are split commuters, one heading towards Manchester and one towards Leeds each morning. It is a place that allows both those cities to be treated as next door. And maybe therein lies some kind of answer to the critical mass of London. It's not a second city called Hebden Bridge, but a super-city that tries to turn the great cities of the north into one large travel-to-work area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happ Hazzard Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Birmingham is the UK's second city. Hebden Bridge is a nonentity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halibut Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Birmingham is the UK's second city. Hebden Bridge is a nonentity. Whoooosh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob England Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Great night in hebden bridge last time iwas in uk. Blues festival and lesbian wrestling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeMac Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Great night in hebden bridge last time iwas in uk. Blues festival and lesbian wrestling. Were the Smurfs in town? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna B Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 This was part of the BBC documentary 'Mind the Gap: London vs the Rest' part 2 of which was on BBC2 tonight, (Monday 10t March.) Basically Evan Davies was arguing that to compete with London, the North needed a 'mega city' comprising of Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds. Hebdon Bridge is right in the middle and is doing well with its mix of independent businesses, art scene and tourism. An interesting programme that needs to be seen, (it's repeated on BBC2 tomorrow at 11.20pm) even though you probably won't agree with its conclusions. We have to do something to stop all the money, brains and talent migrating to London, which is what is happening at present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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