About Bradford
Located in the hills of the Pennines in West Yorkshire, Bradford is a diverse city in every respect. It has a blend of modern and historic buildings, and is a highly populated city with a mixture of races, cultures and faiths. With a range of unique characteristics, Bradford has much to offer that you cant find elsewhere.
Business in Bradford
The Wool Exchange |
Famous for its history in the wool trade, Bradford is now emerging as a centre for business in the 21st century. With a population of around 500,000 and growing, the city is showing great prospects for local businesses in all areas. It is home to a number of major companies, including supermarket giant Morrisons and travel company Thomas Cook. Many large Asian businesses are also based in Bradford, amongst whom is the famous restaurant chain Mumtaz.
With an aim of developing Bradford into a commerce and civilian centre in the North, the Bradford Urban Regeneration Company has made a number of development plans, some of which are complete and others that are under construction. The include:
- the Centenary Square city centre retail and piazza.
- a refurbished football stadium
- a £300M leisure and shopping complex
- modern studio apartments in the historic Lister Mills
Bradford Metropolitan Borough
In 1974, the county borough of Bradford was extended to include that of Keighley, Bingley, Shipley, Ilkley and other areas that now comprise the City of Bradford. It has since become the fourth most populous metropolitan district in the UK. In 1976, the borough was granted the current coat of arms with its motto:"Progress-Industry-Humanity".
Attractions
National Media Museum
The most popular museum in the UK outside of London, the National Media Museum has attracted up to 615,000+ annual visitors. There is free entry to a wide range of media exhibits, including pieces on TV, history and animation, as well as many interactive types of equipment.
Also part of the museum are three cinema screens: the high-tech Pictureville Cinema, Cubby Brocoli Cinema named after the producer of James Bond films and IMAX Cinema, which plays 3D movies.
Little Germany
In the 19th Century, large numbers of merchants, particularly from Germany, built many expensive commercial buildings near the town centre, an area now known as Little Germany. This area is now one of Bradford's busiest commercial centres.
Haworth
Haworth Village in Brontë Country |
Famous for its connection to the Brontë Sisters, Haworth is a small village, but a major tourist attraction. One can walk through the old streets and walkways with their traditional shops and historic buildings or take a longer stroll through the vast fields and other natural surroundings to experience the northern countryside. The village is even known to attract many tourists from as far as Japan.
Other Attractions
The above mentioned are just a few of the numerous renowned tourist areas of Bradford. Other famous places include the Alhambra theatre, the Victorian model city and world heritage site Saltaire, the historic 5 rise locks in Bingley, and Manningham Park - which was voted Britain's Best Park in 2006. And with the compactness of Bradford, these locations are located relatively near to each other.
Famous Personalities
A number of famous personalities come from Bradford including:
- the Brontë Sisters, famous for their literary work
- Gareth Gates, the pop star
- Nobel Prize winner Sir Edward Appleton