Bradford's Lord Mayor today threw down the gauntlet to London money men who gave the Bantams' stock market flotation plans a lukewarm welcome.

As reported in later editions of the T&A yesterday, they told Bradford City chairman Geoffrey Richmond that Bradford was not sexy enough to attract investment from shareholders.

But Councillor Tony Miller told them: "Come up and see for yourselves just what we have to offer."

Mr Richmond said his plans to raise between £10 million and £15 million by floating newly-promoted City on the Stock Exchange had taken a knock after talking to financial advisers.

"The name of the city appears to be a major problem because it's not sexy enough," he told the T&A yesterday.

"The name does not have the right connotations - Bradford and success it was said to me are a contradiction in terms."

But the Lord Mayor blasted back.

"We already have a number of highly successful national and international companies based here which have and continue to attract investment," he said.

"We have attractions which bring in tourists from all over the world and we are the curry capital of Britain - and yet they still say we are not sexy enough.

"What do we have to do to show them?

"Northern people have a reputation for being prudent and I would say to them by all means come up and we will show you how prudent we are and what we have to offer - and then they'll change their minds."

Amanda Kirby from the Bradford Public Relations Group - which promotes the city nationwide - accused the moneymen of stereotyping.

"Sometimes people just assume certain ideas about a place," she said.

"People quite often only think about Bradford in negative terms so it really is a case of re-educating them and making information accessible.

"I think if a lot of people with these ideas came to the city and looked around they would realise it has a lot to offer and is a unique place.

"I can't really understand their criticism - there is an awful lot of regeneration going on and business is generally booming."

But Ramsay Fenton of Bradford stock brokers Hill Osborne & Co said he could understand the reluctance of the financial world.

"I think the Bantams success is a great thing for Bradford, and Geoffrey Richmond and Paul Jewell have done marvels.

"But you cannot regard football clubs as a long term investment.

"It is nothing to do with Bradford - football clubs have become unfashionable and club shares have fallen quite sharply.

"It would have to be a pretty high return to tempt people to put their money into a relatively small company with no proven track record in the Premier League."

T&A Opinion

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