Bradford-It Might Surprise You !. Review on Bradford

The much-maligned Yorkshire city of Bradford, Northern England, has had its detractors over the years and could be described as rather unfashionable. However, a lot has changed in recent years and the city has become quite an important centre for tourism. If you have a passion for history and architecture, Bradford will surprise you. The city has several good hotels, including the Stakis and the Midland Hotel, the fine Alhambra theatre, the interesting quarter known as ''Little Germany'', a progressive University with a good reputation especially in business studies, the Museum of Film, Photography and Television and it is a good base for tours to Bronte Country, and to the lovely Yorkshire Dales. Both soccer and rugby league are popular in Bradford and Bradford City AFC were a Premier Division team. Bradford Northern are the Rugby League team. There is also an Ice Skating Rink in town and several cinemas including the Odeon and the Pictureville Cinema and Cubby Broccoli Cinema.

Bradford has always had a large immigrant community and today if you want to sample the ''Flavours of Asia'' there is probably no city to match the hometown of J.B. Priestley and David Hockney. There are hundreds of curry restaurants serving distinctive Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisine, at very moderate prices. No wonder it is called the “Curry Capital of Britain! There are dishes from Kashmir, Gujerat, the Punjab and beyond. You will have no problem getting Dhansek, Jal-Frezi, Keema, Pesanda, Rhogan Gosht or Phal here. Bradford is home to a 15th century Cathedral and the Priestley Centre for the Arts. The latter named after Bradford-born writer, J.S. Priestley, offers a lively programme of contemporary plays, music and art house films, and is located in Chapel Street. The city has a compact shopping area with the main pedestrianised areas in Broadway, Kirkgate and Darley Street. Most of the major high street names and specialist retail shops are to be found here.

The ‘West End’ area of the city has become a thriving, entertainment area. Four miles from the city, Saltaire, a model village built in the 1870s by inventor, philanthropist and entrepreneur, Sir Titus Salt, is unique. The mill in Saltaire now houses the world’s largest collection of works by Bradford born artist David Hockney. The picturesque hill village of Haworth is a major attraction. This was the home of the three Bronte sisters whose novels and poems immortalised the rather austere moorlands, which surrounded their home. The Parsonage in Haworth is a Museum much visited by people from all over the world, and is one of England’s most famous literary attractions.

I have visited Bradford four times and found it is by no means as bad as it is sometimes painted. It is true that there are some run-down areas and it is not the most beautiful city in the world, on the other hand, the people are friendly, its superb for cheap Indian food and culturally it is by no means a barren place.