Eclectic mix of businesses bring empty building back to life

The Latitude building on Nelson Street was once one of two HMRC offices in Bradford city centre until its closure in 2019.

After years of lying vacant, the building is now finding a new life as the home of numerous businesses – and is now 80 per cent let.

And talks are underway with a company that is looking to take the final remaining floor.

In 2015, HMRC announced it would be closing three offices in the Bradford district, at Shipley, Forster Square and the Interchange Building on Nelson Street. Staff would be moved to Leeds.

Although the Forster Square office has been given a temporary reprieve, the other two offices shut – with the Interchange shutting in 2019.

After years of lying empty, the building is now once again a productive part of Bradford city centre.

Following a £2m refurbishment, the building is now known as Latitude, and home to a number of diverse businesses. 

Zeb Iqbal, acquisitions manager for the development, said the first businesses started moving in during December, adding: “Since then we are 80 per cent occupied. Had it not been for the car park issue we would have been 100 per cent.”

He was referring to the fact that the main parking for the building is a basement car park under Bradford Interchange – which has been shut since January for safety reasons.

The Telegraph & Argus has previously reported how Project Resurgence, a ballet company, was converting space in the building into a new studio, and will be opening later this month.

It will offer elite dance classes along with community outreach work, bringing ballet to people and communities that would not likely every get the opportunity to take part.

Nissar Mahmood has taken up 5,000 square foot at the building for his business Cue Haven – a snooker teaching academy that is due to open on the building’s fourth floor in September.

As well as providing training in the sport, the business will also host professional tournaments.

He said: “It will be different than other snooker venues. The tables will be imported, they’re professional tables and will be heated, we’ll have the best tables in Bradford.

“We’ll also have the best views.” 

Coffee 28 – a café on the ground floor of the building, opened last month, and is open to the public as well as people working in the huge building.

The new Coffee 28 unit in Latitude (Image: T&A)

The café is a partnership with 200 degrees coffee, and opens from Monday to Saturday.

Events company The Events Place and training organisation New Touch International has space in the building.

Pipeline Productions, which provides alternative education for young people and has other provisions in the district, also recently opened office and training space in the building.

Coleman Training – an organisation providing training for young adults aged between 16 and 25 with learning disabilities and neurodiversity, was one of the first tenants of the building.

Founder Roxy Coleman said: “We work to get young people into independent and sustainable employment.

“We have a one or a two-year programme. The first year we reduce barriers and anxiety for young people. The second year is mainly work experience.”

She said the organisation provided the bridge many young people needed to get into work.

In Bradford, there were 1,600 people over the age of 16 with educational health and care plans, she said. Of these, 1,200 are deemed suitable for employment. However, there are only 74 supported apprenticeship places available for people with EHCPs in Bradford.

The organisation gives young people support at a pivotal moment in their lives, when they realise they are able to move forward with a career despite any barriers they may have faced.

Levi, a 20-year-old who has been supported by the organisation, said he had previously been in college, but felt he wasn’t making the progress he wanted. He said: “Here they treated me like I’m a normal person. I got loads of work experience opportunities at different places. It has really helped my confidence.”

His work experience placements have included City Library, and is currently on a placement with 1Energy, another tenant of the building.