Plan to build on artistic attractions

With the ground-breaking Hepworth gallery opening last year on the banks of the River Calder, the reinvention of Wakefield’s dusty industrial image is gathering pace.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Sep 2012, 07:00 BST

The £35m gallery pulled in 8,000 tourists on its opening weekend, and taken in conjunction with the success of nearby Yorkshire Sculpture Park, should make the city a genuine attraction for arts tourists.

It is a much needed boost for a city which has suffered badly in the recession, and one which local planners will hope to capitalise on over the coming years.

Nonetheless, major challenges remain for Wakefield.

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A study earlier this year by the Centre for Cities think-tank placed Wakefield bottom of the league table for residents with high-level qualifications.

Civic leaders are well aware educational standards must improve and higher-level job opportunities be found to attract a new type of inward investor.

Also key to the city’s future will be the revival of its public spaces, building on the success of the Hepworth. Ambitious plans have been laid out for regeneration schemes linked to the station and the Kirkgate area which will be vital for creating a thriving city for the next generation.

Related topics:Wakefield