Skipton, also known as Skipton-in-Craven, is an historic market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. The local travel links are located less than a mile from the town centre, being Skipton railway station and a further 16 miles to Leeds Bradford International Airport. The main road passing through the town is the A6069, connecting Skipton to the A59, A6131 and the A65. The town has a population of 14,313 according to the census carried out in 2001.
The historic Yorkshire town of Skipton is a popular visitor destination, attracting tourists with its museum, castle, golf course and the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway in the immediate area. Also close is Barden Tower, the Yorkshire Dales Lead Mining Museum and the Pennine Way. Skipton lies alongside the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
Skipton is the administrative headquarters of the Craven district and as such is its centre for tourism, commerce, business and industry. It has a high street market which is held on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays.
The town's main local employer is the Skipton Building Society and its subsidiary companies and branches.
The town of Skipton has been in existence since 1085 as it is listed in the Domesday Book. It played roles in history during the English Civil War and also as the site of a POW camp during World War I.
Skipton is located within the Parliamentary Constituency of Skipton and Ripon, which was created in 1983. The constituency has returned a Conservative MP since its inception and the seat is currently held by David Curry MP.
Skipton forms part of Craven District, considered a non-metropolitan district, and is home of the offices of Craven District Council. In March, 2007 there were proposals to make North Yorkshire County Council a unitary authority, removing the level of government represented by Craven District, but these plans were rejected by the Government in July, 2007 on the grounds that it would cover too large an area.
The railway station is next door to a Tesco and a Morrisons and there is a bus station with taxi ranks in the town centre.
Skipton has two theatres serving the town and wider community. The first is Skipton Little Theatre theatre which is located not far from both the railway station and the town centre and the second, The Mart Theatre, is an unusual and unique venue. The Mart Theatre opened in October, 2005 with funds from the European Regional Development Fund, Yorkshire Forward, Craven District Council and from the Arts Council of England, and is aimed to provide a unique rural theatre, events and other facilities within a functioning Auction Mart. The theatre delivers an artistic programme designed to address local cultural and economic needs. A new non-traditional theatre space it is the only theatre situated in a working auction mart in the UK. The Mart Theatre lies on the outskirts of Skipton town centre and is located at Skipton Auction Mart, just off the A59/A65 roundabout. Just follow the signs for the Auction Mart found on all the majn roads leading to Skipton.
There is a Little Chef, Burger King and Travelodge at the roundabout where the A59, A65 and A629 merge and a McDonald's lies to the south of the centre.
Skipton has numerous pubs, the largest being the Black Horse, a former coaching inn and The Devonshire, now owned by J. D. Witherspoon. There are two nightclubs, Strata, in the town centre, right opposite the bus station and Rooder, at the Rendezvous Hotel to the south of town. A wide range of restaurants offer everything from traditional fish and chips to high quality French cuisine, taking in modern British, Mexican, Thai, Indian, Chinese and Italian also.
Fresh Radio, the local radio station for the Yorkshire Dales, broadcasts programmes from its studios located in Skipton.
Skipton railway station gives access southbound to regular services for Leeds and Bradford on the Airedale Line; northbound services connect to Lancaster, Morecambe and Carlisle; the latter route running along the Settle-Carlisle Railway, and crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct. Towns and villages nearby include Bolton Abbey, Bradley, Kildwick, Stirton, Carleton, Gargrave, Embsay, Cononley, Lothersdale and Farnhill. The northern section, A65 & A59, of the £16.4m Skipton Bypass opened in December 1981 withthe rest of the six-mile road, A629, opened in October 1982, greatly reducing journey times to the Dales. Skipton Bus Station is the centre for local bus services, and is due to be redeveloped in the near future. Burnley, Colne, Barnoldswick and Earby are served on an hourly basis by the 215 Pennine bus service. Hourly services also operate to Settle, Grassington and Keighley with less frequent services to Malham, Clitheroe, Preston and Harrogate.
Skipton has the Bavarian town of Simbach as its international partner or twin.
The first visit to Skipton in 1981 of councillors from Simbach included Herr Josef Strasser. They were welcomed by the council and then mayor Judith Hollings. This was followed on the 28 March 1982 by the first group of school pupils from Simbach. The group was from the Realschule and led by Frl Andrea Weber-Hohengrund and Herrn Toni Ott. In Skipton the party was hosted by pupils from the local Aireville School.
In July 1982 the first group of pupils from Skipton, Aireville School made the return journey to Simbach. The group was under the control of Aireville's Deputy Headmaster, John Tomlinson and teachers Muriel Hunter and John Phillip. On September 11, 1982 a charter was signed in Skipton Town Hall by Herr Strasser, acting on behalf of the Burgermeister, Hans Murauer, and Skipton's Mayor, Bernard O'Neil. In 1983 Skipton's new mayor, Brian Phillip, led a delegation to Simbach to sign the charter in the Rathaus, town hall.
Now every year schools, including Skipton Girls' High School, Ermysted's Grammar School and the Gymnasium in Simbach, from the two towns embark on a student exchange programme, as in fact do the locally elected officials.
In December 2007, Brian Phillip was presented with a special medal by the retiring Burgermeister, Richard Findl, for his support of twinning between the two towns over the last twenty years.
There are a wide variety of schools in the area, 11 at the last count, together with Craven College.
Skipton is home to Skipton Town A.F.C., Skipton Bulldogs and Skipton LMS, all local football clubs; Skipton CC and Skipton CI, both cricket clubs; and Skipton R.F.C., a rugby union club. The Coulthurst Craven Sports Centre, next to the rugby club, has many facilities including all-weather football pitches and squash courts. There are also several other gyms in the town in addition to a public swimming pool.
