Holmfirth is putting the past few years behind it and inviting everyone to come back, explore and enjoy the town.
With the Blueprint roadworks project finally completed, a new Make It Your Holmfirth campaign ‘Holmfirth is Open’ is being planned to celebrate everything that makes Holmfirth such a great place to visit, live, work and spend time.
Holmfirth means something different to everyone. For some, it’s a walk in the hills. For others, it’s a great night out, a favourite café, a browse around the independent shops, live music, good food or simply meeting friends and enjoying the atmosphere.
And that’s the idea behind Make It Your Holmfirth – encouraging everyone to find their own reason to rediscover the town.
The overall campaign will aim to encourage local residents to rediscover their town, support local businesses and uncover places they may not have visited before, while attracting new visitors to experience everything that makes Holmfirth so special.
Get exploring with the Holmfirth Discovery Trail
One of the centrepieces of the new campaign will be a new Holmfirth Discovery Trail.
Letters spelling out HOLMFIRTH have been placed at locations around the town, encouraging people to get out and explore.
A walking map showing the letters, available online or as a printed copy from the local library and participating businesses will guide visitors, and locals, around the town’s landmarks, public spaces and viewpoints, sharing interesting facts and stories along the way. It also showcases Holmfirth’s fantastic local independent businesses along the way, helping visitors explore what they have to offer and encouraging them to shop, eat and enjoy!
The family-friendly trail takes approximately 60–90 minutes to complete without stops, although visitors are encouraged to take their time, explore and enjoy the places they discover along the way. Designed to be fun and engaging for all ages, the trail encourages people to get out and about, explore Holmfirth on foot and perhaps discover a few hidden gems they’ve never come across before.
And, of course, there’ll be plenty of opportunities to take a photo along the way.
You can find more details on the Holmfirth Discovery Trail here.
A six-month promotional campaign will run alongside the trail, showcasing the very best of Holmfirth through engaging social media posts, reels, posters and leaflets. Highlighting the town’s independent businesses, local attractions, beautiful scenery, hidden gems and unique experiences, the campaign will inspire people to get out and explore all that Holmfirth has to offer.
Posters and leaflets will be distributed throughout the town and at key locations, promoting Holmfirth as a destination in its own right, as well as raising awareness of the walking trail. They will showcase what makes the town special, encourage visitors to stay longer and explore further, and highlight the fantastic range of local businesses, attractions and experiences available.
A photo competition will also be launched in the coming year, encouraging residents and visitors to capture and share their favourite views, places and experiences in Holmfirth. This will help generate further engagement, celebrate the town’s character and encourage people to discover Holmfirth from a fresh perspective.
Matt Gledhill from Redbak marketing agency in Holmfirth who developed the campaign said,
“It’s been a difficult time for Holmfirth. Roadworks as a result of development works in town have had a real impact, with traffic jams and disruption putting people off visiting and footfall dropping for many of our local businesses. It’s been frustrating for everyone, so now that the disruption is behind us, we want to look forward and get people talking positively about Holmfirth again.
This campaign is all about changing the conversation and reminding people what a fantastic place Holmfirth is. There’s so much to see, do and enjoy, whether you’re a local who hasn’t explored the town for a while or a visitor discovering it for the first time.
It’s about encouraging people to get out and about, support our local businesses, rediscover familiar places and perhaps find a few new favourites along the way.
It’s time to get back out there, explore and enjoy everything Holmfirth has to offer.”
The campaign has been developed and delivered by local Holmfirth creative agency Redbak with support from local business representatives and community groups. Redbak submitted a proposal to Kirklees Council to secure funding for the campaign.