Salts Mill West Yorkshire

Saltaire, a Victorian-era landmark and Unesco World Heritage Site, was an industrial village purpose-built in 1851 by philanthropic wool baron and teetotaller Titus Salt. The village's huge factory was once the largest in the world. It is now Salts Mill, a splendidly bright and airy cathedral-like building where the main draw is a permanent exhibition of works by Bradford-born artist David Hockney. In a fitting metaphor for the shift in the British economy from making things to selling them, this former engine of industry is now a shrine to retail therapy, with an excellent and vast book shop, jewellery from local designers, antiques, upmarket homewares and outdoor equipment. Salts Diner is worth dropping by for lunch.Saltaire was a model village intended to create a close and upright community of workers (its name is a combination of Titus's surname and the nearby River Aire). The rows of neat, honey-coloured cottages overlook the gigantic mill, and lead down to the River Aire where there's a waterside pub and park.Note that parking is at the eastern end of the mill and not accessible from the Victoria Rd entrance. Saltaire is easily reached by train from Leeds (£4.10, 15 minutes, every 30 minutes).A map of the village can be obtained from the tourist office in Bradford, which also has details of local walks in the area.

Also see www.saltairevillage.info.