The BBCAs Bradford begins its year as UK City of Culture, it’s not just trying to show a different face to the rest of the country – it’s also hoping to win over skeptics in the city. .
One of the first productions is a radio play written by broadcaster Nick Ahad, and its subject is Bradford’s damaged reputation.
“The working title of the play was ‘Bradford, City of Culture?!’ Because we knew what the reaction would be when people found out that we would be the City of Culture for 2025,” he explains.
Ahad finally settled on the best title Bilal and Ted’s Bradfordian Adventure, and this on BBC Sounds. One of the actors is Sita Wrightson, a comedian from the city.
“I think it’s really unfairly given a bad rep. And I think that’s because in the news or on social media, people don’t want to talk about the good stuff.”
‘Why is Bradford so…?’
Wrightson is not wrong.
The headlines about Bradford are often brutal. In recent months, the news has named it the saddest city in Britain (because it gets the least amount of sunshine) and the second ugliest place to live.
Type the words “Why is Bradford so…?” Go to a search engine and see what happens. Odds are you’ll likely find the following autofill options – “Bad”, “Dangerous” and “Incorrect”.
And it’s not just the opinion of out-of-towners. Dr Paul Sullivan of the University of Bradford has researched stigma. His hometown is Cork, Ireland, a place where his comedians poke fun at his own high opinion. Bradford, he discovered, was rather different.
“What surprised me was…the almost lack of civic pride.
“Even reading the local paper, some of the headlines can be very enthusiastic, and underneath there’s just a lot of comments saying, ‘It’s a disaster, it’s never going to work, Bradford is doomed’.”
But Dr. Sullivan is a fan.
“I love the city. I fell in love with Bradford straight away. I love the city centre, the beautiful countryside. And to see this level of negativity was really surprising to me.”
Much of this, he believes, is rooted in an external and almost “ideological hostility” to the city’s ethnic diversity.
“I think there’s a reluctance to admit that Bradford can succeed. A willingness for Bradford to fail.”
However, in the face of this hostility, he feels, some progress is being made.
In his recent interviews with residents, “there was a real sense of pride, in their sense of belonging”.
This was a theme raised by Ahad and Wrightson as well. The diversity has become absolutely incredible.
“I am Bangladeshi and British. My wife is Pakistani and Indian, and you don’t need to explain here,” says Ahad.
“Like 100%,” Wrightson added. “I’m of mixed heritage, my mom’s Indian, my dad’s English. And growing up, it wasn’t a big deal.”
The City of Culture has become a moment for many to look beyond the problems and what is growing from its diversity.
People feel welcome.
Natalie Davies, an actor and writer from Bradford, is making a play about the city’s nightlife.
“The stigma attached to it over the years is out of date, and Bradford is not the same.
“I’m very lucky. I’ve worked in television, I’ve worked in film, I’ve worked in theater and radio, and every time I go on set, I always champion Bradford. I am
“It’s a really great place, and the thing about it is that anyone can come to Bradford from anywhere and feel like they belong and we have that. People come and Feel completely welcome.
“It’s beautiful.”
The City of Culture has also been an opportunity for people to explore Bradford’s cultural history and the famous names it hails from.
They include artist David Hockney, playwright JB Presley, composer Delius and the Brontë sisters.
“Emily Brontë, you just think she’s from Bradford,” says Wrightson.
For him, the City of Culture has been a moment to see what makes a city special. And time and time again, speaking to young Bradford residents, while some may mention the Brontes, the magnificent Victorian architecture, the first free school meals or the diversity – almost everyone seems to agree that the city has Food is important.
Of course, no two people ever seem to agree on where you can find the best curry, but perhaps one of the most famous restaurants is Akbar’s, famous for creating the giant hanging naan.
Created to save space on a table, the family naan has grown to a size that has defeated even Yorkshire’s biggest appetites.
“People have tried. No one has succeeded,” says Samad Iqbal, who started working for Akbar when he was 15 and is a proud ambassador for a city that calls itself the capital of Curry. says
“Some people call it elephant ears, some people call it Christmas tree. But this family nan has gone around the world.
“I’m very proud of Bradford, I was born and bred here. It’s a wonderful place to live, a wonderful place to eat. These are places that show the true spirit of Bradford.”
Bradford 2025 seems to be starting to make an impact. Dr Sullivan says it has inspired people to talk positively about the city.
“We’ve seen a shift in the last couple of years. I’m speaking from opinion here rather than research, but I think we’ve seen a shift toward civic pride, and I think that’s a real consequence of that. The catalyst to come will be Bradford 2025.”
