I live in Bradford

[Cybernetics]

My home town gets a lot of bad press but I am a proud Bradfordian, so ask me anything. I'm happy to discuss all the awful rumours that you've heard about this place 😊

Oh there you are

😆

Best curry house please

It's fab to meet a fellow Bradfordian on here @BraveFacesEveryone I was gutted to hear this news and I just really hope that new promoters are found quickly. After the years of work that has gone into bringing the venue back to life it'd be such a shame if there were more long delays. I think we've waited long enough!

Yes although I've never seen anything specific in that area about the fairies. You've reminded me and I'll try find out more.

This has not been my experience, nor have I witnessed it. I find it to be a diverse, welcoming and vibrant place. Of course it has it's problems with crime but I have never felt unsafe. I tend to take those "most dangerous places" lists with a pinch of salt. I'm not denying that the levels of reported crime are high but I would also draw your attention to the problems with the data of reporting crime as well as more cases of police brutality and racial profiling here. That's not even factoring in poverty and deprivation and the impact felt throughout the UK but disproportionately so in the north. The numbers reported can't just be taken as fact when there are many other factors to consider.

I hadn't thought of that but it's a great idea. I heard very recently that they're consulting on the tram network. I haven't been involved but might try get to a meeting.

Ooh sorry for the delay, it's been a hectic day!
I feel spoilt for choice. Mumtaz has always been a favourite of mine, old is gold and all that. Akbar's do a great curry too. International and MyLahore as well. I'll probably think of more later. Now all I can think of is curry...

I really hope so, we're all fed up!

It's such a shame that so many people think this. We have always been considered the less glam neighbour of Leeds and many Bradfordians head that way to shop/eat/socialise etc. Leeds has had so much investment. Sometimes I feel like views are so polarised and people believe what they believe without giving things a chance. We've had lots of setbacks, including a useless council, but Bradford is full of so much culture, arts and the most incredible food (I would argue) in the whole country. To me it does not feel any more run down than many northern cities.

I worked for Bradford Council for a year in maybe 2003-4 organising the Mela and the intention market festival. It’s a long time ago now and I haven’t been back since but the architecture was amazing. I was really young and blonde and although I felt safe, my Asian boss told me he wouldn’t leave me on my own as I wore summer dresses, shorts etc and he was really worried. I went to the fitness first and it’s the only one I’ve been to that has a separate woman’s space. I made friends with a guy who worked there and he’s my one that got away. We are still in touch 20 years later, but we had to go out in Leeds as he said he was worried for my safety if we went out in Bradford. I actually loved my year there.

Does anyone remember the Bradford Jesus man?!

Please do, that would be great! 😂

Local legend!

Are you upset that Zayn Malik isn't coming to Bradford on his first solo tour?

I have to agree with you all on the shit driving.

More disappointed I guess since he's so vocal about Bradford.

I'm disappointed too.
I've got a ticket for Edinburgh, (I live near Glasgow), but I'd have absolutely got a Bradford ticket if he was playing there.

What about the cctv in the dome? I was fascinated at being able to zoom in on people on the street.

They are but you can only comment on their planned options which are very Leeds-centric at the moment - closes 30 September for anyone who wants to contribute: https://www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/hub-page/mass-transit?_gl=1z59rgy_gcl_au*MTk5NDU2NTA1Ni4xNzI2OTkxNDQ1

I’ll be visiting Bradford on my own next year (white middle-aged woman) - no plans to go out at night but will be out and about during the day. I find it hard to imagine not being safe there during daylight hours? Any thoughts?

The rural areas around Bradford are okay, some of them are actually lovely. Bradford itself as in the city? Absolute fucking shitheap. I used to work in the city as a young adult, and when I finally got out of working in the city, I promised myself I would never put myself in that situation ever again.

I worked in retail for a good while. During my time working in the city over the years, I was threatened, repeatedly insulted in a language I didn't understand (my mum had to ask someone she worked with in a solicitors office what the words meant, and the translator was horrified at what I was being called), I was threatened with rape, I was physically beaten by my boss, and treated like an object. In the end I ended up having to go to the police, and somehow these fuckers found my phone number, and started harassing me that way. Even just sitting and having my lunch outside work would leave me open to street harassment from groups of men who would call me awful things when I wouldn't comply.

It was deeply unpleasant and left me terrified. I was able to get work in an office job just outside of the centre, and fortunately never had to work in the centre ever again.

The city has just gotten worse and worse. They have kept trying to fix it, but it's never going to happen. The city of culture award is a farce. The bus station is still closed and nobody knows what's going on. The bus routes in and out of the city are so fucked up that people can't get to where they want to go, and elderly and disabled folks have been left stranded among inner city roadworks wondering how the fuck they're going to get home. There are bundles of addicts harassing people for money, people will attack you at cash machines if they think they can get away with it, and if you're a girl/woman walking alone, you will be very lucky if you're not approached or harassed.

We do not in any way deserve the city of culture award. It's a fucking mess.

If for any reason I need to go into a city, I will go to Leeds, never Bradford. It's not safe, and it's only getting worse. I hate it.

Yeah. Don't go.

@JaneAustensHeroine you can probably find enough to entertain you that you don’t have to spend long in the centre. Visit Saltaire, maybe Cartwright Hall.

Thank you. I’m visiting other towns in the area too but will be based in Bradford for a few days staying in a hotel (and visiting Waterstones obviously!).

I am very curious about this Waterstones. What makes it so special?

I am a white middle aged woman and I work in the centre and often go out after work. Some of these things become very late indeed. I have had no issues at all. Not in the morning, afternoon or evening. There is poverty, and addiction and all the other issues that many towns have but I don’t recognise this idea that it’s inherently threatening to white women. There are groups of teens and lads in cars and more people out the front of houses than some areas have and some are friendly and most pay you no attention at all as is extremely normal. Actually I mainly work with Muslim boys and youngish men and again find them largely lovely with no more exceptions than I have found with other groups. They don’t recognise the poverty of the city and often of their lives. It’s quite an insular place.
The driving is batshit - increasingly true for Halifax, Hudds and Leeds too.
Mumtaz is epic and Prashads down the road the best.
The Waterstones is beautiful - certainly better than the central Weatherpoons. Give that a miss!