Probably meant "Stealers" with reference to financial services......
"Halifax, like many towns, had a few engineering firms at one time, but Steelers would be stretching it a bit."
More than a few engineering (machine tool) firms. Off the top of my head
Asquiths, Churchill Redmond, Staveleys, Butlers, Binns Berry, Swift, Ajax, Seymour, Pratts, Stirks....
Without machine tools you make nothing.
As for Chippy's the nation's fish and chips were fried by Frank Ford at the bottom of Haley Hill.