Grayston Unity

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor Last Updated 17 November 2023

Visit now

Grayston Unity

1-3 Wesley Ct, Halifax, HX1 1UH

Website

Situated in a Grade II listed building, the Grayston Unity is a small and friendly independent bar and cafe in the centre of Halifax.

Occupying a historic building, which originally opened as a County Court in the 1860s, the Grayston Unity sits just yards from the steps of Halifax’s glorious Town Hall. Noted as being the smallest music venue in the UK (with capacity for just 18 people), the Grayston Unity hosts live music in the back room, which spills out into the backyard during the summer months.

Step inside and you’ll find a vibrant mix of decor and an assortment of vintage furnishings – including a cosy front room with comfy sofas. Voted the Halifax Bar of the Year in 2019, the Grayston Unity is a real supporter of local suppliers – stocking quality wine from Halifax Wine Co alongside an impressive gin bar and good cask ales from Northern breweries.

Hosting everything from gigs and guest speakers to theatre and cultural history talks, this popular venue offers regular events. Poetry slam nights, spoken word festivals, outdoor cinema and monthly music nights have all featured at the venue.

We’re really thrilled that the Grayston Unity are at the helm of an exciting new festival too. Featuring live music, film screenings, visual art and much more, the first edition of The Festival of Halifax will take place across the town centre in spring 2021.

What's on near Grayston Unity

2 Sep

LiteratureWest Yorkshire

Poetry at the Dusty Miller

Poetry at the Dusty Miller is a now regular night with invited readers, organised by poets Carola Luther and Ian Humphreys in the Coiners’ Room in the Mytholmroyd pub.

Free entry

25 Sep – 29 Sep

CinemaLeeds

Widescreen Weekend at The National Science and Media Museum

Widescreen Weekend returns with a programme of large-format cinematic classics and exciting modern films.

From £5.50

Until 22 Feb 2026

ExhibitionsBradford

YOU:MATTER at National Science and Media Museum

YOU:MATTER is a spectacular audio-visual experience that explores our place in the universe and the invisible links between us and the cosmos

From £2.00

Nnena Kalu, Hanging Sculpture 1-10, installation, 2024; photo courtesy of Manifesta 15 Barcelona Metropolitana. Photo credit: Ivan Erofeev.

27 Sep – 22 Feb 2026

Visual ArtsBradford

Turner Prize at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery

The UK’s most important visual art prize is back for its 2025 edition, with four new artist nominations in Bradford’s Cartwright Hall Art Gallery.

Free entry

The Railway Children at Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

Until 7 Sep

TheatreBradford

The Railway Children at Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

Steam-powered storytelling at its very best and perfectly staged for Bradford 2025, this much-loved classic is pulling into the station in spectacular style this summer.

From £10.00

Until 12 Oct

ActivityBradford

Wild Uplands at Penistone Hill Country Park

Take in the expansive views of the moorland as you explore four large-scale artworks, accompanied by a bespoke soundtrack created by Opera North.

Free entry

A woman wearing a long green jacket and a speckled dress stood infront of a wall.

Until 12 Oct

ActivityBradford

Earth & Sky at Penistone Hill Country Park

Opera North bring the uplands landscape to life with a sound walk combining new music, Bradford born canonical composers and the sound of the uplands themself.

Free entry

Until 6 Jun 2026

TourSaltaire

Saltaire Brewery Tour

The guided tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the brewhouse and state-of-the-art packaging plant, giving visitors a full sense of what “real Yorkshire beer” means today.

From £15.00

See all events

Where to go near Grayston Unity

Halifax

Hotel

White Swan Hotel

The White Swan Hotel offers an ideal location for those looking to explore West Yorkshire – its arts and culture, and its shopping.

Halifax

Shop

Halifax Borough Market

This grand and historic market was opened by the Duke and Duchess of York in 1896 and has been at the heart of Halifax life ever since.

West Yorkshire

Gallery

Open Gallery

A beautiful and varied collection of contemporary art from across the UK. Their regular exhibitions are both seasonal and thematic and always worth visiting…

Halifax

Restaurant

The Victorian Craft Beer Cafe

The Victorian Craft Beer Cafe is a beautifully independent pub that stocks beer from some of the most progressive breweries in the UK.

Halifax

Shop

Revo Records

Trading for over 30 years, the iconic shop prides itself on stocking an eclectic selection of vinyl records – the latest new releases alongside second-hand vinyl.

Halifax

Theatre

The Victoria Theatre, Halifax

Built in 1901 as a concert hall, the Victoria Theatre is steeped in history and still retains many of its original features.

Halifax

Shop

The Book Corner

Bookshop that is located on the rustic level of The Piece Hall in the northwest corner.

Halifax

Restaurant

Meandering Bear

Owned by the folks who run the award-winning Grayston Unity, the Meandering Bear is a great little independent bar and eatery in Halifax.

Halifax

Theatre

The Viaduct Theatre

Nestled deep underground beneath the Dean Clough Mills, The Viaduct Theatre is home to acclaimed theatre company Northern Broadsides.

Halifax

Theatre

IOU Studio, Gallery and Creation Space

IOU’s creation space houses a studio for large-scale production work, three fully accessible exhibition galleries and some big plans.

Halifax

Tourist Attraction

The Piece Hall

Think Somerset House meets one of the great historic squares of Europe for the North. The Piece Hall is the beating heart of Halifax.

Halifax

Square Chapel Arts Centre

With a mix of shows, family theatre, films, events and workshops, this arts centre is a vital part of Halifax’s new and thriving cultural quarter.

See all places

West Yorkshire District Guides

Things to do in Hebden Bridge

A selection of curated spots showcasing the best local attractions, shops and tourism on offer in beautiful Hebden Bridge.

Things to do in Wakefield

As well as being a great starting point for exploring West Yorkshire, Wakefield city centre is a cultural hot spot in its own right.

Things to do in Huddersfield

Surrounded by the Yorkshire countryside, Huddersfield is steeped in history and more than holds its own when it comes to arts and culture.

Things to do in Halifax

A destination for foodies, music-lovers and culture-seekers, Halifax is also home to some of the North’s best-preserved Georgian and Victorian buildings.

Culture Guides

A person stands with The Very Hungry Caterpillar puppet resting across their shoulders, the background is purple.

Family things to do in the North

September and beyond brings culture, theatre, disgusting history and loads of fun.

Cinema in the North

This month we recommend a season of Film noir, cult Australian movies and a huge celebration of DIY community cinema.

Literature Events in the North

Our latest round-up features plenty of one-off live literature events to wrap your ears about, so get those diaries ticking over...

Theatre in the North

This season’s theatre is gloriously eclectic: from radical cabaret and reinvented classics to new musicals and boundary-pushing performance.

Buttercups with the St Aidan's Dragline- oddball- in the background

Tours and Activities in the North

"Tours, tours, tours!" If this month's Tours and Activities guide were a sentient speaking person, this is what it would say.

Music in the North

10 fresh shows across Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool, threading together noise, ritual, euphoria and release in all their messy, beautiful forms.

Detail of an abstract sculpture, with burned materials and rusty chicken wire at the centre, with rusted metal bars bent around it.

Exhibitions in the North

Chocolate fountains, beautiful batiks and medieval marginalia - this month's supersized Exhibitions Guide has it all.