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Discover Wakefield
 Whether you are a regular shopper or a first time visitor, you cannot fail to notice the wind of change sweeping through Wakefield.
Regeneration and renewal are the buzzwords of a bold vision which is transforming the city centre, striking a balance between preserving a proud heritage and building for the future.
If New York is the city that never sleeps, Wakefield is one that refuses to stand still. Key areas of retailing and commerce were re-developed in the mid 1950s and again
in the early '80s, so rising to the challenge of changing times seems almost second nature.
After a long struggle to recover from the collapse of the mining industry, Wakefield is again moving forward with vibrant new businesses and a revitalised city centre.
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 A prestigious new market hall is already up and running, in a prime position on Union Street, opposite the old market and the bus station. The £3 million building designed by leading architect David Adjaye opened in the summer, with an array of stalls offering a wide range of goods including men’s' and ladies' fashions, pet shop supplies, a florist, a herbalist and other specialist retailers.
There is also a separate hall dedicated to food from Yorkshire bread and confectionery to continental fruit and vegetables, a Polish delicatessen to a Yorkshire tapas bar, a butcher selling game to a fishmonger supplying fresh fish from Grimsby (daily except Mondays).
A new open market alongside the market hall offers high quality, local produce on general market days. A global and ethnic-themed market takes place every
 Thursday and on Tuesdays, there is a re-use market where quality second hand items can be sold.
The array of stalls continues a tradition which can be traced back several centuries when twice-yearly fairs in June and November helped bring people and prosperity to the town.
Fast forward again to 2008, a milestone year for the city's flagship Ridings Shopping Centre, which has just celebrated its 25th birthday. Now it is ready to embark on an exciting new chapter in its history, following a multi-million pound makeover.
The fresh and modern new look includes striking new entrances using glass and natural light to enhance the shopping environment and interact with the surrounding areas. Other improvements include a re-designed food court and a new cafe.
 At the main entrance on Cathedral Walk, the introduction of a curved glass façad and new public courtyard, which will revitalise the area and provide a continuation to the important pedestrian plaza around the Cathedral.
For over 1,000 years this has been a place of Christian worship. The Normans built the first stone church in the 11th Century. As Wakefield prospered through the wool trade in the later Middle Ages, there were several additions including the tower, surmounted by a spire which rises to 247ft, making it the tallest in Yorkshire.
The Cathedral as we know it today is little more than a century old. Aside from the regular services and special celebrations, you can pop in any time during the day to light a candle and pray or simply to soak up the peaceful atmosphere.
 Wakefield Council is improving public spaces, places and streets throughout the city. Latest improvements focus on the Bull Ring, Westmorland Street, The Springs, Brook Street and Teall Street. Part of the scheme involves a change of scene for Queen Victoria's statue which will be re-located in Castrop Rauxel Square in the heart of Wakefield's civic quarter. The statue was removed from the Bull Ring to be restored and cleaned ready for the move.
Another major project is the regeneration of Wakefield's historic waterfront, restoring the 18th century Grade II Listed Calder & Hebble Navigation Warehouse and Grade II Listed Phoenix and Rutland Mills complex. Together with a range of new buildings, these will provide luxury riverside apartments, office space and leisure facilities including restaurants, cafes, courtyards, landscaped gardens and public spaces.
 Adding a cultural dimension will be The Hepworth Wakefield, a world-class gallery and centre for creative arts, due to be completed in late 2009 with an official opening the following spring.
The central gallery will feature the unique collection of 30 of Barbara Hepworth's original plaster sculptures that have been gifted to the city by the Hepworth Family Trust, along with internationally recognised fine and decorative art collections which are afforded only limited space at the city art gallery. The Hepworth Wakefield will have a public garden and a footbridge across the River Calder linking the gallery and the waterfront to the city centre. A Grade II Listed watermill within the site will be conserved to provide interpretation of the history of the mill and waterfront and create managed workspace.
Performing arts are also well starred in Wakefield. The Theatre Royal and Opera House is a thriving venue for drama, comedy, musicals and family shows. Recently planning permission has been given for a brand new state-of-the-art extension to the historic building which dates from 1895. Facilities will include a split level foyer with bar and café areas, a new box office, lift access to all levels, an education suite and studio space to house small scale experimental work.
 Getting around Wakefield is easy with the Free City Bus which offers an alternative to using the car with friendly knowledgeable drivers on hand to help. The bus follows a circular route linking the two train stations (Westgate and Kirkgate), the bus station and the main shopping areas every 10 minutes from 7.30am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 5pm on Saturdays. All journeys are free of charge and all buses are accessible with space to carry one wheelchair at a time.
If you are travelling from further afield, there are frequent weekday trains from Leeds, Barnsley and Sheffield and hourly from Huddersfield and Mirfield. Buses run from Holmfirth, New Mill, Denby Dale and neighbouring villages via the A636.
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