It’s official... Friendly really IS friendly!
ON the north side of the Calder Valley, above Sowerby Bridge is the intriguingly named village of Friendly.
Nobody seems to know the origin of this settlement’s name.
We set out (and failed) to find out where the village gets its name from.
But, almost as importantly, we went to find out how friendly Friendly is.
Did our reporter leave with a smile on his face or a flea in his ear?
In short, the former. Friendly is friendly. I would say averagely friendly for a place of its size in the Calder Valley, which is itself a fairly friendly place.
Compared to Todmorden, Friendly is averagely friendly. Compared to London, Friendly is very friendly.
As I don’t live in Friendly it’s hard to say exactly how friendly Friendly is, so I asked some people who do.
Matt Barton runs the Copper Cow pub which used to be The Friendly Inn.
“We’re relatively friendly and welcoming,” said Matt, 37.
“I had one guy who was an absolute a ******* – but he’s moved out...
“There are lots of people here that are [friendly].”
I asked Daniel Johnson who runs Friendly Fisheries if Friendly is friendly. “Of course it is,” said Daniel, 42.
“The view; I mean, look at it.” Friendly does indeed have a cracking view up the rural Calder Valley, even from the main road. Maybe the long, bucolic view first thing in the morning puts people in an amicable mood.
Friendly has an avenue called Friendly Avenue. Is Friendly Avenue the friendliest street in Friendly?
Nick Webster, who lives on the avenue, said: “Neither yes, nor no. It’s unremarkable in its ordinariness.”
Nick, who has lived in Friendly for 15 years, agreed Friendly is friendly.
Gillian Howarth, 62, is typically friendly for someone from Friendly.
“People watch out for each other,” she said smiling.
In conclusion friendly.
Do you know where Friendly gets its name from? It appears on an Ordnance Survey map from around 1890 so it’s been called Friendly for some time. Email david.himelfield@reachplc.com if you know.
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