Bradford

[Quickenthetempo]

Just been told it's won it's bid for City of Culture.

Can only be a good thing for the city.

[claret2018]

Does this award make any difference whatsoever?

They win £250k for arts projects. I can’t imagine that goes very far.

[yTib]

it can't be badford.

[durhamclaret]

Nowt wrong wi Bratfurd

[TheFamilyCat]

Does this award make any difference whatsoever?

They win £250k for arts projects. I can’t imagine that goes very far.

I think it gives the city a chance to promote itself, attract more tourists etc and generate income that way.

'City of Culture' status wouldn't attract me to Bradford, mind. Awful place.

[Quickenthetempo]

I think it gives the city a chance to promote itself, attract more tourists etc and generate income that way.

'City of Culture' status wouldn't attract me to Bradford, mind. Awful place.

The centre is full of lovely buildings but not used as well as they could be.

[Quickenthetempo]

First I heard of it was this morning when I saw my brother in law on the news promoting Bratfut.

He loves the place.

[claret2018]

Some cracking curry houses there, and the national photography museum.

[Caballo]

Will certainly benefit from the investment.

[DCWat]

If they give the council the money to invest in said projects, they might as well throw it down the drain!

Bradford could, and should, be a great city, but it’s not. It’s been neglected and poorly run for generations. Even the likes of Huddersfield and Halifax (both towns, obviously and far smaller) have more to offer.

Bradford lumbers from one silly decision to another. A once wealthy city has sat in neutral, if not reverse, whilst Leeds has been far more progressive.

Bradford knocked down a lot of its great architecture (admittedly it still has its share) and Leeds developed a lot of theirs into shopping arcades etc. that are flourishing.

I’d love to say that they were old decisions that are now regretted but if it wasn’t for a hell of a lot of local pressure, the ‘Odeon Building’ would have gone the same way. As it is, it’s part way through a major refurb.

The state of a lot of our towns and cities is a big shame.

[conyoviejo]

Manningham Lane is full of culture.

[jdrobbo]

Bradford is a brilliant city. So much potential.

[ClaretTony]

Bradford is a brilliant city. So much potential.

I’m jealous now jd - you living in a city of culture

[jdrobbo]

I’m jealous now jd - you living in a city of culture

[Quicknick]

Bradford is good for a curry. Nowt else.

[pushpinpussy]

is it April fools day again

[Rowls]

There's always the hint of a back-handed compliment in this award.

Good luck to Bradford though.

[mikeS]

Well done to Bradford.

[Quicknick]

Edit to my above post: a good curry, Braford Bulls and BPA.

[BurnleyFC]

It’s worth visiting Bradford just to sample its brilliant curry houses.

[Dougall]

I spent 3 years at uni in Bratfut - I love the place and I hope this proves to be a turning point!

[Quickenthetempo]

For anyone who likes Real Ale then The North Parade in Bradford is as good as anywhere.

Finish up with with some live music at the Underground.

I've never got chance to sample a curry while over there sadly. Still on the to do list.

[Devils_Advocate]

Its a shame Al's Dime bar moved from North Parade as that was a brilliant little bar. Its moved down into town now and just lost all its atmosphere and energy.

Bradford is decent but like a lot of these towns and city's it suffers from poverty and deprivation and this really impacts the centre where it is just full of pound shops and all sorts of vagabonds. Used to play footy there twice a week in Manningham and Barkerend and often went into the centre for drinks.

Not been there since the new shopping centre was built so that might have improved things but before that the city centre in the daytime was pretty run down and depressing.

Went to St Georges Hall a few weeks ago and they've done a real good job of doing it up

[yTib]

even the curries are not what they're cracked up to be.

[ants_g]

If they give the council the money to invest in said projects, they might as well throw it down the drain!

Bradford could, and should, be a great city, but it’s not. It’s been neglected and poorly run for generations. Even the likes of Huddersfield and Halifax (both towns, obviously and far smaller) have more to offer.

Bradford lumbers from one silly decision to another. A once wealthy city has sat in neutral, if not reverse, whilst Leeds has been far more progressive.

Bradford knocked down a lot of its great architecture (admittedly it still has its share) and Leeds developed a lot of theirs into shopping arcades etc. that are flourishing.

I’d love to say that they were old decisions that are now regretted but if it wasn’t for a hell of a lot of local pressure, the ‘Odeon Building’ would have gone the same way. As it is, it’s part way through a major refurb.

The state of a lot of our towns and cities is a big shame.

Completely agree. I worked for Bradford Council for 26 years and you'll struggle to find a more inept and corrupt council in England.

[Alanstevensonsgloves]

I spent 3 years at uni in Bratfut - I love the place and I hope this proves to be a turning point!

Me too albeit 30 years ago and I still retain an active interest in all things Bradford

[Dazzler]

Some cracking curry houses there, and the national photography museum.

Also, The National Science And Media Museum.

[Quickenthetempo]

Its a shame Al's Dime bar moved from North Parade as that was a brilliant little bar. Its moved down into town now and just lost all its atmosphere and energy.

Bradford is decent but like a lot of these towns and city's it suffers from poverty and deprivation and this really impacts the centre where it is just full of pound shops and all sorts of vagabonds. Used to play footy there twice a week in Manningham and Barkerend and often went into the centre for drinks.

Not been there since the new shopping centre was built so that might have improved things but before that the city centre in the daytime was pretty run down and depressing.

Went to St Georges Hall a few weeks ago and they've done a real good job of doing it up

It only moved a couple of hundred yards to near the underground didn't it?
From what I'm told it's helped both get more in the doors as the later bars.

[Quicknick]

Went to Bfd sniffing in the late '80s. 42nd Street. As sleazy as it got.

[Bosscat]

Went to Bfd sniffing in the late '80s. 42nd Street. As sleazy as it got.

The Cricketfield Stand is full of Sniffers these days (I am led to believe)

[Bosscat]

Its a shame Al's Dime bar moved from North Parade as that was a brilliant little bar. Its moved down into town now and just lost all its atmosphere and energy.

Bradford is decent but like a lot of these towns and city's it suffers from poverty and deprivation and this really impacts the centre where it is just full of pound shops and all sorts of vagabonds. Used to play footy there twice a week in Manningham and Barkerend and often went into the centre for drinks.

Not been there since the new shopping centre was built so that might have improved things but before that the city centre in the daytime was pretty run down and depressing.

Went to St Georges Hall a few weeks ago and they've done a real good job of doing it up

We tend to use the Multistorey car par in the Broadway shopping centre when going to The St Georges Hall or The Alhambra and usually have an Italian meal in Zizzi's

[Devils_Advocate]

It only moved a couple of hundred yards to near the underground didn't it?
From what I'm told it's helped both get more in the doors as the later bars.

It was moved just down the hill towards town but when I went in it was just really bright and lacking in atmosphere. I can see why it moved as the North Parade bar was very small and always packed but that added to the atmosphere.

The decor, music, lighting etc was all set up really cool and the guys who owned it used to be in there doing the cocktails and everyone who worked there seemed to be having a great time and seemed to drink there and know everyone. it just felt like a really cool community bar for people who liked their music and a bit of an alternative environment

The new bar just felt like any other bar in Bradford and lost its unique feel. I might have got it on a bad night but even if busier I just couldnt see it being the same as the original one

[Devils_Advocate]

We tend to use the Multistorey car par in the Broadway shopping centre when going to The St Georges Hall or The Alhambra and usually have an Italian meal in Zizzi's

Seeing how the other half live Bossman. I hope you have your onw private parking bay with someone to look after your flash automobile

[DCWat]

It was moved just down the hill towards town but when I went in it was just really bright and lacking in atmosphere. I can see why it moved as the North Parade bar was very small and always packed but that added to the atmosphere.

The decor, music, lighting etc was all set up really cool and the guys who owned it used to be in there doing the cocktails and everyone who worked there seemed to be having a great time and seemed to drink there and know everyone. it just felt like a really cool community bar for people who liked their music and a bit of an alternative environment

The new bar just felt like any other bar in Bradford and lost its unique feel. I might have got it on a bad night but even if busier I just couldnt see it being the same as the original one

The new bar, the old Game / Sugg Sport building, isn’t actually that much bigger than the previous one. I’ve only been a couple of times since it moved down there, on both occasions it’s been really busy.

They’ve certainly managed to maintain the difficulty, on a busy night, of reaching the bar that they had in the old place!

North Parade isn’t as good as it was when it first opened, unfortunately. The last time I was there, it seemed that a few of the original bars had closed down or moved on.

The tunnels were worth visiting although I’ve not been in since before covid. We did intend to go again recently but a few drinks down Ivegate beforehand put pay to that - full of scrotes fighting and sniffing.

There has always been a ‘scene’ in Bradford, it just struggles to maintain anything when bars open up in other areas. For whatever reason, Bradford doesn’t attract the volume of people to have lots of different areas for drinking, as you’d see in other cities.

Ivegate was busy, then the West End, then North Parade, then the tunnels, now Ivegate again. When one area develops, others struggle and close.

Bradford is well know for curries but actually, there aren’t that many decent ones - there’s two or three that are decent, and numerous bad ones, from my experience.

One thing I find strange, being from Bradford, is when working away around the UK and looking for a late night curry. They’re hard to find elsewhere, but in Bradford you can sit in at 3am.

[Quickenthetempo]

I've just seen a sound check for the Duke St street party for Friday.
They have built a stage outside the Underground.

It's usually the North parade Street party. Maybe it's easier to close off Duke St?

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

Fantastic. Great city!!

[Devils_Advocate]

By the tunnels do you mean that Sunbridge Wells place? Been there a few times and the layout and idea is good but it seems Bradford hasn't got the footfall to support it and make it a good night out. I've not been out Bradford way much since Covid as we've stopped playing footy on a Friday.

We used to play at Manningham and then go Beehive for a drink (which was Bradfords oldest pub and has sadly but unsurprisingly closed its doors) and so about once a month we'd carry on to North Parade. Rarely ventured in to main bit where all the kids are as if we wanted a long night of it we'd head back Leeds way.

For all its problems I have a soft spot for Bradford and normally have a good night there

[dougcollins]

I didn't know the Beehive had closed, shame. Played many gigs in the cellar bar there. Just a short walk for a curry on Lumb Lane.

[Devils_Advocate]

I didn't know the Beehive had closed, shame. Played many gigs in the cellar bar there. Just a short walk for a curry on Lumb Lane.

Yep some of the older guys in our group had been playing footy and going in the Beehive every Friday since the mid-80s so knew the owner (William) very well. He got in touch with a few of them to let them know he was closing it down and it had been sold to the curry house next door. That was in April so only happened recently

[dougcollins]

I hope the K2 and Sweet Centre are still there.

[Devils_Advocate]

We went to Sweet Centre for our Xmas curry. Cant see that being allowed to shut down anytime soon as its a brilliant little place

[dougcollins]

We went to Sweet Centre for our Xmas curry. Cant see that being allowed to shut down anytime soon as its a brilliant little place

Isn't it just. When we played the gigs , half the band went in the Sweet Centre and the others to K2 next door!

[DCWat]

By the tunnels do you mean that Sunbridge Wells place? Been there a few times and the layout and idea is good but it seems Bradford hasn't got the footfall to support it and make it a good night out. I've not been out Bradford way much since Covid as we've stopped playing footy on a Friday.

We used to play at Manningham and then go Beehive for a drink (which was Bradfords oldest pub and has sadly but unsurprisingly closed its doors) and so about once a month we'd carry on to North Parade. Rarely ventured in to main bit where all the kids are as if we wanted a long night of it we'd head back Leeds way.

For all its problems I have a soft spot for Bradford and normally have a good night there

Sorry, yes it is officially Sunbride Wells.

I didn’t realise that the Beehive had closed down, either. That’s a shame. A trip around the old pubs in Bradford is (or was) always a good night, if something of an eye opener. Cheap beer and a variety of unusual folk (they probably thought the same of us) who look like they’ve just finished a remake of Rita, Sue and Bob too!

I’m often very down on Bradford, not because I don’t love the place (I do, apart from them down at Valley Parade) I just find it such a shame to see what it has become and particularly from where it once was.

I’m sure that the same can be said for many towns and cities, particularly northern towns and cities, which have been let down and left to rot for far too long. Hopefully not beyond repair though I don’t hold out much hope, capital of culture or not.

[JohnMac]

I didn't know the Beehive had closed, shame. Played many gigs in the cellar bar there. Just a short walk for a curry on Lumb Lane.

Stopped there a few years ago when it did B&B. It was a cracking pub and atmosphere.

[LS7]

It’s a desperate place and completely unrecoverable.

[LoveCurryPies]

It’s a far more interesting place than Burnley. Hurts me to say that. Salts Mills and Saltaire. Media museum. Impressions Gallery. The huge number of restaurants and bars.

While the award is a small amount of money, the real benefits are believed to be worth £700million. People said the same about Liverpool when it was chosen.

[Bosscat]

It’s a far more interesting place than Burnley. Hurts me to say that. Salts Mills and Saltaire. Media museum. Impressions Gallery. The huge number of restaurants and bars.

While the award is a small amount of money, the real benefits are believed to be worth £700million. People said the same about Liverpool when it was chosen.

Salts Mill and Saltaire not Bradford really though ... Shipley if you say to a local Saltaire and Salts Mill are Bradford they would rip your head off

[Quicknick]

In the '70s we used to go to Bradford for what we termed as an afternoon of culture: a curry, the strippers in the Belle Vue and the match at Valley Parade. Naturally, I only went if Burnley were away. Bradford has always been a city of culture.

[dougcollins]

Salts Mill and Saltaire not Bradford really though ... Shipley if you say to a local Saltaire and Salts Mill are Bradford they would rip your head off

Though Shipley in itself is generally dreadful. I was born there.

[Quicknick]

Though Shipley in itself is generally dreadful. I was born there.

Why didn't you support Bfd City, Doug?