Latest news with #CityofCulture
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Poets, politicians and TV personalities announced for Bradford Literature Festival
LEGENDARY poet John Cooper Clarke, BBC broadcaster Mishal Hussain and food critic Grace Dent are among the acts announced for this year's Bradford Literature Festival. Politician Jeremy Corbyn, Gavin and Stacey Legend Larry Lamb, Islamic scholar Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and TV presenter Katie Piper will also be in the city for events during the ten day literary event which runs from June 27 to July 6. The event will take place at venues throughout Bradford city centre, and this year's festival will be the first since swathes of the centre were transformed by new pedestrian areas and green space. This year's programme builds on record-breaking momentum from 2024, when over 155,000 attendees from 24 countries took part in 699 events, a 34 per cent rise in attendance from the previous year. This year's festival will be particularly special – falling right in the middle of Bradford's year as City of Culture. Headliners for 2025 include: • John Cooper Clarke, the legendary punk poet, who will reflect on his extraordinary life before delivering a blistering live reading of his most iconic work. • Grace Dent, in conversation with Nisha Katona, launching the Big Tasty Read, a national celebration of food, literature and community. • Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, one of the world's leading Islamic scholars, appearing in a landmark event exploring compassion and sacred history. • Katie Piper, who shares her empowering new book on ageing, resilience, and redefining life's milestones. • Mishal Husain, BBC broadcaster and journalist, who will discuss her powerful new memoir Broken Threads, tracing her family's journey through empire, independence, and identity across India, Pakistan, and Britain. Other guests during the festival include broadcaster Steph McGovern, journalist and activist Ash Sarkar, politician Jeremy Corbyn, actor Larry Lamb, comedian Jessica Fostekew, poet, academic and musician Anthony Joseph, and comedian, actor and writer, Robin Ince. The crowd at Bradford Literature Festival (Image: Bradford Literature Festival) Issues being discussed at the festival include Gaza 2040: Imagining the Future, Freedom of Expression: Who Gets to Speak?, Islamophobia Now, and The Great Unravelling: Democracy & Development in the Age of Populism. Key themes include Art and Architecture, Faith, Mysticism and Philosophy, Poetry, Neurodiversity, History, Nature and Citizenship as well as programming around 250 Years of Jane Austen. Doha Debates returns to BLF for a second year with a town hall discussion on the future of national identity and the nation state, with Wael Hallaq, Shashi Tharoor, David Engels and moderated by Malika Bilal. Beyond the talks and panels there will be numerous events open to the public, from exhibitions and comedy nights to heritage walking tours and live performances and film screenings. These include four free family fun days in City Park, superhero storytelling and manga drawing workshops, behind-the-scenes TV writing masterclasses and a screening of David Attenborough's Ocean with a talk from co-creator Colin Butfield. This year's festival will also feature a selection of book launches, including Liz Mistry's Deadly Reckoning, the latest instalment in the Solanki and McQueen crime series, and Pauline Brown's Diego's Team, a tale of kindness, courage and alpacas. Founder and Artistic Director Syima Aslam said: 'Bradford Literature Festival was founded on the belief that culture is not a luxury—it's a necessity. 'At a moment rich with possibility for reimagining how we live, learn, and listen to one another, we remain committed to offering space for reflection, dialogue, and creativity. 'This year's programme is our most ambitious yet: a bold, joyful, and deeply thoughtful celebration of ideas, imagination, and identity. 'BLF continues to be shaped by the communities we serve—international in scope, proudly rooted in Bradford, and grounded in the principle that everyone deserves access to culture, no matter who they are or where they come from. This year, we are also especially proud to celebrate Bradford's designation as the UK City of Culture 2025—an accolade that reflects the vibrant cultural landscape and creative energy the festival has helped to nurture and shape over the years.' Over the past 11 years, BLF has hosted 3,484 events, welcomed 3,544 artists, and reached nearly 710,000 people. For more information on this year's event and to book tickets, visit
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Steam train visits Bradford for City of Culture
A steam train is set to leave Bradford and head north along the famous Settle-Carlisle line as part of celebrations for UK City of Culture. The West Yorkshireman service has been chartered by the Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company to mark the line's 150th anniversary and 200 years of passenger railways. It will leave Bradford Forster Square Station at 08:30 BST before stopping to pick up passengers at Shipley, Bingley, Keighley, Skipton and Settle and heading to Carlisle. John Moorhouse from the not-for-profit company said he wanted to "provide a unique opportunity to communities in this area of our line to experience the power of steam and celebrate our railway history and culture". He added: "This is a very special year for the Settle-Carlisle line, marking the 150th anniversary of the line opening. "It is also a very important year for the rail industry as we celebrate Rail200, the 200th anniversary of passenger rail. "With Bradford also celebrating being the City of Culture, we wanted to mark these events in a special way - and what could be more spectacular than a steam engine pulling out of Bradford to take in the views along the Settle-Carlisle line?" Passengers will be able to explore the landmarks of Carlisle, including the castle, cathedral and Tullie House Museum, before returning via the West Coast Main Line and the Bentham Line. The West Yorkshireman will be hauled by the preserved locomotive the LMS 7P Scots Guardsman for the journey. The company was set up in 1992 to support the line, which was at one point under threat of closure, and works with volunteers to maintain stations along the route. Steam charters do not regularly call at Forster Square as the station is a terminus. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Historic rail line's tourist service suspended Carlisle to Settle trains to 'kick-start' tourism Settle-Carlisle Railway
Leader Live
6 days ago
- Leader Live
Ten fully funded places available for people aged over 16
Ten fully funded places are now available for individuals aged 16 and over, who live locally and have an interest in exploring the outdoors, learning about green spaces, or discovering the region's industrial heritage. This entry-level training, delivered by Wales Best Guides, offers an engaging introduction to the art of tour guiding, following globally recognised best practices while highlighting unique stories, landscapes and people of North Wales. Participants will develop public speaking skills and build confidence, all while uncovering how nature has reclaimed sites of industrial heritage across the region. Read more: New funding deal gives Stiwt 'stability' during City of Culture bid Ruth Armstrong, senior community engagement coordinator, said: "We are really excited about this training opportunity, and hope that it will help local people re-discover a love for the Clywedog Valley in a new and interesting way." Throughout the course, attendees will observe a professional guided tour, collaborate in groups to research and explore local history, and practice delivering a guided segment in a friendly, supportive setting. There are no formal assessments, but participants may choose to complete a personal audit and action plan, which will be reviewed with their trainer." The training takes place at Minera Lead Mines over four weekly sessions, each lasting five hours from 9.30am-2.30pm on the following Thursdays: June 26, July 3, July 10 and July 17. Read more: Four-metre Knife Dragon will breathe fire into Welsh weapons campaign Upon completion of, participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance from Wales Official Tourist Guides Association (WOTGA). This course also serves as a steppingstone toward professional guiding qualifications. Graduates may go on to pursue accredited Level 1 and 2 White Badge courses, level 3 Green Badge training for regional guiding, or even Level 4 Blue Badge 'dragon' qualification, which covers all of Wales. These advanced programs can lead to freelance opportunities and income as a qualified WOTGA guide. To learn more or register, contact or call 01978 757524.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Visitor numbers to Bradford rise - but are they spending money?
After a year of severe disruption in Bradford city centre, the number of people visiting to shop or eat is going up. There has been a 25% increase in footfall in the first quarter of 2025 compared to 2024, according to the Bradford Business Improvement District (BID). The organisation, which represents 600 firms, said last year's figure was severely impacted by roadworks to pedestrianise parts of the centre, and the unexpected closure of the main bus station. But has this resurgence translated to increased spending in independent businesses? The BBC asked traders whether they have seen the high street start to recover. Amy Berry manages The Cake'ole cafe in City Park. She says: "I think it's been a lot better. The buses coming back (into the Interchange) have fixed a lot of the problems. "And then especially with all the events that City of Culture 2025 has brought in. We've had a lot of footfall, it's been pretty good." Ms Berry, 27, has worked in the cafe since it opened in 2019. "We were still trying to come back from Covid. A lot of people were still a bit scared to come out. "It's definitely a lot busier than we were then. "But I think we're now maybe back to where we were pre-Covid, maybe even a bit busier." The pedestrianisation work was part of a £48m Transforming Cities investment which was supposed to be completed before the start of Bradford's City of Culture year. It was only finished in May - five months after the cultural showcase's opening night. The Interchange was closed for safety reasons in January 2024 after a chunk of concrete fell from an underground car park, and only fully reopened this month. Ibrahim Eryatmaz runs Benim furniture shop on Market Street. He says: "I think more people are on the street because Market Street is open for pedestrians. "I can see there are more people but business is still low. "For us it's very low now but if you sell coffees, maybe small items, maybe for them it's potentially better. "But we are a furniture shop and who's passing along this street doesn't have a big effect for us." The 52-year-old did praise Bradford Council, which has halved business rates to encourage more traders to set up in the city centre. But he says many Bradfordians are still cautious when it comes to spending their money on bigger items. John Varey opened his florist's shop with his wife Lisa at the start of the year and has had a promising first few months of trading. "I've seen massive growth from when I first moved in. "Obviously we moved in in winter so we can't really gauge it compared to last year apart from figures. "We got the sales figures from the shop from last year and we've kind of almost doubled what they were doing." Mr Varey, 58, says the high rents being charged by private landlords who are often not based in Bradford does not help businesses thrive in the city centre. Elsewhere, Leeds and Wakefield have seen increases year-on-year in the number of people coming into their centres while Halifax, which is undergoing a £64m town centre improvement project, has seen a fall. Jonny Noble, chief executive of Bradford BID, says the 25% footfall boost has to be viewed in the context of a very low starting point last year. "There is no doubt that 2024 was a tough year for city centre businesses due to ongoing roadworks and the sudden closure of the Interchange. "However we're now seeing strong signs of recovery. "We know there's still work to do, and we're under no illusions - regenerating the city centre takes time and continued effort." He highlights events like the BID's recent Soapbox Challenge as well as those organised by the UK City of Culture 2025 team and the council as reasons why more people are coming into Bradford. Mr Noble adds that he is "optimistic about further increases in footfall, dwell time, and overall business confidence." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. City centre regeneration plans take step forward People urged to return to city centre as works end
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
UK city 200-miles from London gets £35m boost with new lines launched
The multi-million pound expansion of a West Yorkshire rail station has opened and was marked by new services to London's King Cross station A new rail platform has officially opened with its first new direct services to London. The expansion of the now four-platform station in Bradford was made possible by substantial government funding. The brand-new platform - Platform 0 - at Bradford Forster Square Rail station opened on Monday, May 19 with the first new LNER services. The platform enables more trains to run between Bradford and London Kings Cross between Monday and Saturday. Beginning this week, around seven direct trains a day will run from the station to the capital – with more services expected to be added in December. This includes a morning northbound service that arrives in the West Yorkshire city at 9.52am. The previous government announced funding for the new platform back in 2024, promising to support Bradford for its 2025 City of Culture year. The platform expansion was made possible thanks to £35million of funding from the government. Members of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority were given an update on the platform, prior to its opening. The report into rail services present to the committee at their last meeting said: 'May will also see the introduction of the much-anticipated step-change to Bradford's London trains, increasing on weekdays from just two per day to seven, and from one to two on Sundays (further increase to six on Sundays from December) – though at the time of writing this is subject to final confirmation.' The report continued: 'This is enabled by the opening of the new Platform 0 at Forster Square. LNER's expanded services to Bradford mark a significant boost in connectivity, supporting the city's UK City of Culture celebrations while driving economic growth and opportunity across the region.' In the lead up to the opening of Platform 0, Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe shared: 'This is £35m of investment from the Government and we have only got that because Bradford is City of Culture. We'd have never got this if not for that.' Hinchcliffe continued: 'We made the case that if you want to make sure the world is connected to Bradford, you have to make sure trains come here. There will be seven trains a day from London to Bradford and back again. This is a real sign of success for the City of Culture.' Hinchcliffe confirmed that the new LNER trains will also benefit Shipley and will begin stopping off at the station's lengthened platforms in August. In preparation for the platform opening, the entire community got involved to present the station in the best possible light. A team of volunteers working with Bradford City Community Foundation and Peer Action Collective worked alongside staff from Northern, LNER, ISS, and Bradford Council to clean up the station. Volunteers spent the day picking up litter in the station, car park, and surrounding area. The station team also cleared the overgrown green space next to Platform 1 in preparation for the planting of a community garden. When the new platform was announced, plans also outlined a new roof canopy, passenger furniture, information screens, CCTV and lighting to be installed in the railway arches. The development involved a land purchase east of Platform 1.
