Home to about 40,000 people, Castleford is part of a new council vision to transform the riverside market town into a “vibrant, sustainable and distinctive” destination.
It is well known for rugby league and its place as a major manufacturing hub for brands like Burberry and Haribo.
Now, almost £45m in government funding is backing a Wakefield Council-led plan to attract more investment – so what do locals want to see for the town’s next chapter?
Julie Harriman is waiting for her husband in the town centre and is clear in her assessment as she scans the high street.
“It needs something doing with it. It’s a bit dead and alive at the minute,” says the 55-year-old.
“It needs some better shops to draw people in.”
It is a Friday morning and although there are plenty of people about, no fewer than 12 shops inside the Carlton Lanes Shopping Centre – about a third of the total – have shut down.
The adjoining indoor market, refurbished in 2023 and made up of traditional stalls, looks to be faring better.
“It looks like it’s busy but I don’t think there’s an awful lot of people buying because there’s no shops here, there’s nothing to do as such,” says Julie.
“More than anything it just wants a good clean up.”
Julie is not alone in her assessment of the town centre in its current state.
Janet Towler, from Cutskye, stops to chat and agrees more shops are needed, adding: “There’s nothing really in Castleford at the moment.”
