Wakefield - Yorkshire's Premier Market Town

The town of Wakefield is located in the center of one of the prettiest areas of Yorkshire, and has developed in recent years into a popular destination for people who are looking for a base from which to explore the Riding countryside of the north east of England. The town itself is a relatively small place, although it does offer plenty of things to do thanks to the range of tourist attractions that have been developed there over the last few years.

Wakefield was once one of the great northern industrial cities, and until the 1970s, the city was at the heart of one of the largest coal producing areas in the world. It was also famous for its cotton and glass production, and cut glass from the city is found in great houses all over the world, including many royal palaces thanks to the quality of the workmanship employed.

During the later years of the twentieth century, Wakefield went into a marked and drawn out decline. The coal mines were closed, and the ability of other countries to undercut the production costs of both glass and cotton led to both industries disappearing over the years to the point where unemployment became a real problem, and the town was quite a poor place to live.

Since the turn of the millennium, Wakefield has been more or less reborn. Tourism has now become a major employer in the region as more and more people each year come to the area around Wakefield in order to explore the Yorkshire countryside and enjoy the many attractions in the area including a number of national parks and several theme parks.

In the center of Wakefield there are numerous bars and clubs that appeal to people of all ages. Wakefield has a large college and a relatively affluent middle class, so the city center tends to be quite busy, particularly at the weekend, and there are a number of very good restaurants that serve local food including one owned and managed by the noted UK TV chef James Martin, who specializes in traditional British cuisine that is well cooked and innovative.