Kidderminster

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Template:GBmap Kidderminster is a town in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately 20 miles south-west of Birmingham city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town. The town is affectionally known by locals as 'Kiddy'. The town is twinned with the town of Husum, Germany.

There are several things which are key parts of the unique make-up of the town, one of these are the huge former British Sugar silos sited in their now redundant site on the Stourport Road, these silos can be seen from the Malvern Hills, nearly 30 miles away.

Kidderminster stands on the junction of the River Stour and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. The preserved Severn Valley Railway runs from the town to Bridgnorth.

The modern carpet industry was founded in the area in 1785 by Brintons, and the carpet industry became extremely important to the local economy, so much so that the local newspaper is still named the Kidderminster Shuttle after the shuttles used on the carpet looms. Although much declined in recent years, the industry is still a significant employer in the area, with Brintons still employing several hundred people.

Kidderminster was the birthplace of Lant Carpenter, Josiah Mason, and Rowland Hill. The Puritan minister Richard Baxter spent many years in the town, and there is a statue to him outside the church at which he was based. Legendary DJ Tony De Vit was also from Kidderminster as is ex-front man of Led Zeppelin Robert Plant and one of his solo guitarists Robbie Blunt.

It is notable that in the United Kingdom general election, 2001, the town returned Dr Richard Taylor as an independent MP for the Wyre Forest parliamentary constituency. Only a handful of independent MPs have been elected since World War II and Taylor had fought the election to protest against the proposed reduction in services at a Kidderminster hospital. He held his seat at the 2005 election, the first independent MP to do so since 1949.

Kidderminster is an unparished area within Wyre Forest District, but Charter Trustees maintain the traditions of the town and elect a Mayor.

There are many pubs and drinking establishments in Kidderminster, of nightclubs, 'Mirage' is the longest-standing in the town, having opened in the early-mid 1990's, while the recently renamed and relaunched 'DY10' (formerly 'Redwoods') takes its name from the postcode for the town. Many good pubs such as the Royal Exchange on New Road, and the Railway Bell on Comberton Hill will provide visitors with a warm welcome, whoever they may be.

Under the Local Government Act 1972, it was proposed for Kidderminster to be part of the West Midlands metropolitan county, but it was scrapped after the proposed county boundary was trimmed back to Stourbridge.

Kidderminster Harriers Football Club

Kidderminster Harriers F.C. is the town's football club, formed in 1886, before such teams as Newcastle United and 'local' rivals Cheltenham Town, and a full 38 years before Hereford United, whose fans consider theirselves to support a 'bigger' club.

The Harriers became the first club in the county's history to reach Football League status, inspired by manager Jan Molby and former Liverpool star Mike Marsh; however they were relegated to the Conference National after the 2004-05 season.de:Kidderminster