The '˜Bard of Barnsley' to reopen flooded Hebden Bridge bookshop

The Book Case in Market Street, Hebden Bridge, was badly affected by the floods of winter 2016, when the River Calder burst its banks but, after fantastic support locally and nationally, it is back in business.

A host of well-known authors donated signed copies of their books for a fundraising auction, and writers and publishers helped restock the Book Case’s shelves.

Poet, writer and broadcaster Ian McMillan will officially reopen the shop on Wednesday, March 16, at 11pm. Ian’s publisher, Yorkshire-based Dalesman Publications, is one of many to donate books to the shop, and Ian was delighted to be asked to reopen the shop.

The author of several books about his native Yorkshire, writer and poet Ian has worked in schools, theatres and art centres.

He has been poet in residence at Barnsley Football Club, Northern Spirit Trains and Humberside Police. He has also written comedy for radio and plays for the stage.

He’s currently presenting The Verb, Radio 3’s Cabaret of The Word, writes a weekly column for The Yorkshire Post, and a monthly column for Dalesman magazine, illustrated by cartoonist Tony Husband. The pair can regularly be found on the comedy and poet circuit.