By 'eck! Want to do some in-depth research into Yorkshire boozers or fish and chip shops?

Look no further - Bradford University launched its new Pennine and Yorkshire Studies Unit on Yorkshire Day yesterday.

The new unit is part of the University's School of Lifelong Education. It will promote knowledge and understanding of the area's geography, people, traditions and customs.

Research topics could include the Brontes, the area's once-flourishing textile industry, Denby Dale Pie, curry houses, Yorkshire pudding and rugby league.

It will also act as a forum for debate and fountain of knowledge on all things Yorkshire for the world's media.

Ironically, its leading academic Dr George Sheeran, pictured, was born in Lancashire, although he has lived in Yorkshire for 34 years. The unit will include parts of Pennine Lancashire.

A surge in interest in regional studies gave birth to the idea of a dedicated unit.

Dr Sheeran, who lives in Shipley, said: "Our degree in local and regional studies goes from strength to strength.

"We get a lot of inquiries and requests for information from all sorts of individuals and organisations."

Dr Sheeran's main interests lie in how people organise their space, including architecture and landscape. He is currently looking into the cultural landscapes of aristocracy in 18th century Yorkshire. But the modern county will also be researched and promoted.

"The flap caps and whippets image was true enough in the past because of the Northern way of life in the 18th and 19th centuries," he said. "But Yorkshire is so many things.

"Big cities like Leeds have virtually reinvented themselves. Two years ago, a flat was sold in Leeds for £1 million, the first one outside London."

Details about the Tyke studies unit were appropriately revealed on Yorkshire Day, which celebrates the county's rich heritage and identity.

Academic Paul Jennings, born in Bradford, will co-ordinate the unit. He has the challenging task of researching the social history of drink and the public house - but he swears that is not simply an excuse to prop up the bar for hours on end.

"Even though I enjoy a good pint, I spend most time looking through archives," he said. "There is now a trend towards building more pubs and wine bars, but the traditional pub is in decline."