{"id":720178,"date":"2026-01-25T17:34:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T17:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/720178\/"},"modified":"2026-01-25T17:34:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T17:34:08","slug":"comment-continuities-and-reinvention-at-the-old-woollen-and-sunny-bank-mills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/720178\/","title":{"rendered":"Comment: Continuities and reinvention at The Old Woollen and Sunny Bank Mills"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Sam Gaunt<\/strong><\/p>\n

As \u2018Salsa de Cuba\u2019 wound down from their final song at the \u2018Old Woollen\u2019 event space in Sunny Bank Mills on a Thursday night just before Christmas, I was surprised. <\/p>\n

Partially because I hadn\u2019t expected to join a conga line and attempt to dance to salsa for the first time in my life, but mainly because I hadn\u2019t expected to find such an energetic and well-received salsa event at the Mills, where I had been working for a week.<\/p>\n

Before the show, I had talked to a bartender at Amity Brew Co, a craft beer venue next-door. He told me that really, Farsley was \u201cthe best place to be\u201d in the local area for a night-out. <\/p>\n

\"\"Fun at the Salsa de Cuba night. Photo: John McEvoy<\/p>\n

The following day I spoke to Dick Bonham, one of the three founding directors of the Old Woollen venue. Dick stressed that Farsley, and specifically Sunny Bank Mills, has \u201cbeen a place of creativity\u201d, since the Mills\u2019 heyday as a centre of textile production in West Yorkshire \u2013 the Old Woollen is an expression of this legacy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dick and his business partners, Choque Hosein and Howard Bradley, first came together through the Farsley \u2018Community Festival\u2019, for the Queen\u2019s Jubilee celebrations in 2012.<\/p>\n

\"\"A Yard Party at Old Woollen. Photo: Morris Longfellow<\/p>\n

Howard played an instrumental role in these celebrations; Dick told me that at this time the Community Festival grew from \u201c30 people in the church hall\u201d to \u201caround 10,000\u201d by the time of the Jubilee. <\/p>\n

With Choque\u2019s background in the music industry, Dick\u2019s experience in theatre production and Howard\u2019s key community role, their partnership represents a diverse blend of interests and dispositions that defines their \u201cvery eclectic\u201d offering.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Feel the music: Salsa de Cuba night. Photo: John McEvoy<\/p>\n

The range of events put on at the Old Woollen, including a pre-Christmas slot with Martin Kemp, the monthly \u2018Bingo For the People!\u2019 (with a \u00a3750 grand prize) and of course, \u2018Salsa de Cuba\u2019, encapsulates Dick\u2019s vision for the venue. <\/p>\n

The team at the Old Woollen are intent on \u201cappealing to different audiences\u201d, and ultimately providing a venue that fulfils the \u201copportunity to access amazing\u2026art\u201d. <\/p>\n

Speaking on their influences, Dick elaborated on the inspiration that they found in the Batley Variety Club \u2013 a former institution of West Yorkshire, where their guiding philosophy was the attraction of top talent \u2013 even from across the pond. <\/p>\n

\"\"Martin Kemp at The Old Woollen. Photo: Morris Longfellow<\/p>\n

Dick stresses the importance of aligning with the Variety Club\u2019s philosophy of putting \u201cthe best thing on stage that\u2026 [we] can\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The nature of Sunny Bank Mills has changed but at its core, Farsley remains a place where \u201cthe community is built around [the Mills]\u201d. <\/p>\n

\"\"The Old Woollen at Sunny Bank Mills. Photo: SBM<\/p>\n

Now, with a community of musical retailers, including \u2018Record Plant\u2019 vinyl retailers and, next-door and the newly opened \u2018Spinning Room\u2019, specialising in high-quality sound systems, the hub of Sunny Bank Mills is staying true to its communal, artistic roots whilst providing a constantly evolving space. <\/p>\n

For Dick, \u201ca built environment that facilitates community is\u2026really important\u201d. Within this, the Old Woollen provides a \u201cvery inclusive\u201d space, where a broad cross-section of the West Yorkshire community come to enjoy themselves<\/p>\n

Through their expansion upon the existing artistic and cultural legacy of the Mills, and in tune with Farsley\u2019s \u201cindependent spirit\u201d, the Old Woollen has become a dynamic and exciting venue \u2013 a crucial part of the local community and Sunny Bank Mills. <\/p>\n

Just before I left the venue after filling my salsa boots, I said goodbye to a volunteer from the Mills\u00a0 whom I had recently met, asking if they were going to attend the next event. This was a silly question; they told me that they came every week.<\/p>\n

\"\"The Old Woollen at Sunny Bank Mills. Photo: SBM<\/p>\n