Bradford - The New City Of Culture

[naomi24]

Is it worthy of the title?  I went there once and found it rather gloomy. 

[Togo]

//Priestley must be spinning.//

So must Sir Titus Salt. Has David Hockney been back to visit lately? 

[jourdain2]

David Hockney was from Saltaire.  A cousin was at Art college with him and lent him paper, he returned the sketches - she wishes she'd kept them!  I was born, raised and lived just across the R. Aire from Saltaire.

Bradford was a great place to grow up in those days.  I went to a good Northern Grammar, the Halle orchestra gave tickets to schools and in Winter we would attend concerts, sitting behind the orchestra. It was thriving, aspirational.  J.B. Priestley Had a statue not far from that of Queen Vic.  There were good theatres cinemas and shopping.  I worked in a market on the bacon stall aged 16 and saw Ken Morrison  making sure his stalls were operating properly. 

When I fled to France in 2001 - I vowed never to return. I could no longer go to the theatre, it wasn't safe for a woman on her own to walk from car parks.  I'd more than enough experience of drugs, violence etc. in a once good comprehensive school which used to gain Oxbridge places every year - and ended up in special measures  by the time I left due to the massive intake of males from Mannaingham.  I'm told that virtually all the staff are now Pakistani.

City of culture, why not? There have been other rubbish ones.  It's an award which enables some rebuilding at least. I was appalled, seriously, by the rap song which was the lead of their pitch for the title.

My sister lives across the Aire from Saltaire still, but is actively planning to move... difficult with horses.  The area used to keep the city at bay, but it is encroaching.  She won't drive through it any more - and I don't blame her.  Driving licences and tests seem to be optional.  (A pupil was found driving a taxi for his uncle.)

[Canary42]

Partly off topic, but I spent a long weekend break in Hull the year it was City of Culture and it was an eye-opener.  There was lots to see and do, and the locals were very friendly and welcoming.  It's a shame how some places acquire unwarranted derogatory reputations.

[douglas9401]

Aye Canary, it's all lies. 🙄