Bradford, recently named UK City of Culture for 2025, is hoping to change perceptions about the city. A new radio play written by broadcaster Nick Ahad, called Bilal and Ted’s Bradfordian Adventure, confronts the city’s unpopular reputation. One of the actors in the play, Seeta Wrightson, believes Bradford has “unfairly got a bad rep”, adding that people “don’t want to talk about good things”. Bradford has often featured in news headlines making it known as one of Britain’s gloomiest cities. A study by Dr Paul Sullivan of Bradford University, reveals that negativity towards the city is both internal and external.
However, it appears that something is changing. Dr Sullivan believes that civic pride is emerging in Bradford, which could be catalysed by the City of Culture win. Although Bradford has a diverse ethnic population, Dr Sullivan suggests that “ideological hostility” towards this diversity is driving the negativity around the city. Meanwhile, City of Culture has become an opportunity for the city to focus on its rich cultural history, including famous residents such as artist David Hockney, playwright JB Priestley, composer Delius and the Bronte sisters.
A play about Bradford’s nightlife is also in the pipeline by actor and writer Natalie Davies, who claims that “the stigma that’s been attached for years is old now, and that’s not what Bradford is”. Davies is proud of Bradford, which serves as a welcoming place for visitors from across the globe. Similarly, Samad Iqbal of Akbar’s, the renowned Bradford-based restaurant that specialises in curry, echoes this sentiment: “I’m very proud of Bradford, I’m born and bred here. It’s a fantastic place to live, a fantastic place to eat. It’s places like this which show the true spirit of Bradford”.
It seems Bradford’s future is bright. Although the negativity surrounding the city is pervasive, there is a growing sense of community spirit and pride that has been emerging over the past few years. As City of Culture approaches, it could serve as a catalyst for the rest of the UK to realise that Bradford has everything to offer
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
