A new business chief has called for "bold and brilliant" road signs into Bradford to stress its importance to the outside world.

Chamber of Trade President Jim Griffin described the "building brick" signs to Bradford on approach roads as "horrible and inefficient" when he took on the chamber's top job at its annual general meeting.

Mr Griffin, a coach operator and owner of Toller Autopoint, Manningham, Bradford, said: "I would like road signs which show Bradford is rising from the ashes."

He said after the meeting that he also wanted to see more money from Europe coming into Bradford businesses, but stressed all organisations must work together for the good of the district.

He supported the efforts of Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood to modernise the Council and make it more efficient but would like him to have more dialogue with the business organisations.

The retiring president, Shipley newsagent Eric Hudson, said changing legislation had caused major difficulties for businesses in the past two years.

But he added: "Keeping Bradford in business is not the sole prerogative of any one organisation. We can no longer point the finger at the local authority and ask what they are going to do about any situation.

"It is in the interests of all to work together for the good of the whole district.

"We have encouraged new development in the city, and on occasions when we thought it was detrimental to the city have opposed such developments."

The Council's first director of marketing, Owen Williams, said the signs would be looked at.

He said the Council recognised the need to get its act together and become an enabling organisation.

Mr Williams described his new job of "branding" Bradford as an "absolute challenge" and said there was a tendency to concentrate on what was wrong, rather than what was right.

He added there were issues of citizenship and civic pride to address.

T&A Opinion

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