BRADFORD is set to benefit an astronomical amount from its newly-awarded City of Culture 2025 title.
The city was announced as the UK City of Culture 2025 yesterday evening on The One Show.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries revealed the news in Coventry - the previous winning city - with Bradford beating County Durham, Wrexham and Southampton to the title.
City of Culture 2025 is set to bring an estimated extra £700 million into the district.
The title is also expected to create 7,000 jobs and attract more than 16 million visitors to the city.
As people begin to come back down to earth, analysis and comment is ongoing as to exactly how this prestigious title will impact Bradford.
Nasreen Karim, Chair of the BAME Business Committee and Director of the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce said: "It’s absolute euphoria, this means so much. This city, I’m Bradford born and bred, all my businesses are in Bradford.
“What this means for the city and the business community is phenomenal.
“Hopefully it will mean we can have more investment, make this city more successful and inclusive for all.”
Bradford will now receive initial seed funding of £275,000 to begin preparation for a year of ground-breaking cultural activities in 2025.
Vicky Wainwright, President of the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, said: “It’s going to set the city onto another level, bring more investment, more opportunities for the young population, so it’s important to maintain that talent in our city.
“From a business point of view, it’s a huge win, as well as for culture.”
Ms Karim said: “It’s time for us to showcase who and what we are. The outside looking in, it’s different to us looking out.
“We have some fantastic talent in this city that isn’t showcased, that will be showcased.”
City of Culture 2025 is predicted to bring £365 million in Total Gross Value Added (GVA) and 26 times the investment Bradford Council has invested.
Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said: “We’re delighted that our district has been recognised in this way.
“Being UK City of Culture brings with it so many opportunities for people not only in terms of creativity and culture, but also for employment, attracting inward investment, boosting the local economy and opening up opportunities for young people to enhance their skills.
“The way that people from across the district have got behind the bid and the confidence people are now starting to show, the Bradford district has started to come to life like never before.
“We have already seen significant return on our investment on the bid alone – generating nearly five times in revenue against what we invested since 2019. We now expect to see this kind of support and return on our investment accelerate significantly, with an expected £26 generated for every £1 we put in.”
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