Upper Hopton Club: Welcome to the ‘hidden gem’ of this picturesque village which sits above Mirfield and West Yorkshire

Sitting majestically aloft within the rural hills of the Pennines, the quaint setting of Upper Hopton has a lot to offer with its cricket club, Croft House Community Centre, St John’s church, and spectacular views across West Yorkshire.

At the heart of the village is Upper Hopton Club. A venue striving to “give back to the local community”, open every day of the week and a “friendly face” guaranteed.

The community hub plays host to pub games teams with the club’s billiards group having just been victorious in the Huddersfield and District Billiards Association Victor Muff trophy.

The club welcomes local teams from around the community such as Lower Hopton Ladies Football Club and Yorkshire Gun Club, whilst it also hosts a weekly book club and art group alongside a number of other events and seasonal activities throughout the year from live music, to quiz and comedy nights to wine tasting and ‘sip and shop’ events.

But recent times have been hard for the club, situated on Jackroyd Lane, with numbers coming through their welcoming doors proving a “challenge.”

However, with a new bar manager and a new look committee over the last 16 months, including a new president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, now in place, the club is looking to the future to ensure its legacy, since opening in 1891, continues.

President Craig Johnson said:

“We are a community space for everyone, from young families, sports fanatics, to dog walkers and cyclists. We are proud to be open every day and, rest assured, you will always be welcomed with a friendly face.

“More than ever we know how important it is for us all to have meaningful connections and come together to create a sense of community spirit. This space provides many people with the opportunity to avoid loneliness, isolation and enjoy a wide range of enjoyable activities and events.

“We are working hard to create a positive atmosphere and we are keen to put the club back on the radar for the village, and Mirfield, and for our wider community of Kirkheaton, Lepton and beyond.

“We have the lovely park with a play area and football pitch across from us and we’re at the heart of a quaint, picturesque village and that is something a little different – although there is no doubt we are facing challenges with the current financial climate impacting us all.

“The future at this moment in time is extremely fragile. We really do need bums on seats to help secure our future.”

Stephen Brown, secretary, added:

“The club has struggled for the last 10 to 15 years. It’s been close to closing but not close enough but it is important we now only look to the future and make sure that we step in the right direction in order to secure our future.

“As a committee we now feel as if the jigsaw pieces have become a full jigsaw now – we have stabilised and this has taken time. We’ve had our challenges and we are now looking forward to attracting customers, old and new, into our warm and vibrant atmosphere.”

The club has certainly been busy over the last few weeks with numerous live music entertainment gigs as well as charity events, funeral receptions, birthday parties and christenings.

Last month it raised £1,923 for The Kirkwood with a charity pig race, while it is now gearing up for a beer festival on Saturday, July 26.

“We want to give back to our local community,” Craig said. “This is important to us and this is why we want people to come here and enjoy themselves.

“The team has short, medium and long-term goals. The short-term is about stabilising and ultimately survival but looking forward to the next stage we want to reinvest and create a better space for everyone.”

The club, which has a capacity of 115 people, has a rentable space for private parties and functions, while membership for the year is £11, which provides a discount on refreshments and access to free pool, darts and snooker.

To view opening times and for more information on Upper Hopton Club or to get in touch, visit https://www.facebook.com/share/1WYs7iXXFJ/