More detail on plans for big screen in new city square

The under-construction Darley Street Market development will include an outdoor area, with a 7 metre by 4 metre screen that will broadcast, among other things, live music performances from the new market’s stage and live cookery demonstrations.

The three-storey market will stand alongside a new 1,000 square metre public square, linking Darley Street to Piccadilly.

Construction underway at Darley Street Market (Image: newsquest)

Bradford Council recently put a tender out for any companies wanting to provide the audio visual equipment for the market – which includes the huge screen in this city square.

The Council expects the contract to be worth between £450,000 and £750,000, and businesses can bid for the contract until February 3.

The tendering request says: “The Council is seeking to appoint a suitably experienced and qualified provider to deliver a high-quality audio-visual experience for customers and visitors to the city, which includes a large outdoor screen.”

Tour of building site that will become new Darley Street market

The £23m Darley Street Market is being built on the former Marks & Spencer site on Darley Street. When it is opened the centre’s two existing markets, Oastler and Kirkgate Market, will be closed.

When asked about the tender for the screen, Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “We’ve mentioned previously the market square will have a fantastic new 7m x 4m City of Film big screen and we are currently out to tender for that as well as a number of indoor screens for the food and drink hall.

Work on Darley Street Market (Image: newsquest)

“These will be linked to the outdoor screen so that bands or cookery demonstrations can be seen and heard both inside and out.

“It includes other features such as LED advertising screens with touchscreen capability and electronic information screens for the market entrances.

“The new square has been designed to be easily secured so that we can manage visitor numbers and the plan is to use it for ad-hoc trading and outdoor markets, as well as a wide range of dedicated events and activities, including those celebrating the City of Culture 2025.

“Everything is coming together as we plan to open the market later this year and we can’t wait for people from Bradford and beyond to experience it.”

At a meeting of Bradford Council tonight Councillor Debbie Davies (Cons, Baildon) will ask when the first set of traders for the market will be announced – pointing out that the Council had originally said the announcement would be made in October.