The Alhambra theatre remains (as it has often been described) a jewel in Bradford's entertainment crown. It had its problems a few years ago but has now pulled itself back, thanks largely to its ability to attract big-name shows guaranteed to bring in the audiences.

In a sense, it has become the victim of its own success. Instead of summer productions at the theatre being sparsely attended, as was once the case, they are now playing to packed and very warm houses and the existing air-conditioning system is not able to cope.

The £100,000 it will cost to install a better system might sound a lot, but it is a small price to pay to guarantee the success of the theatre and the comfort of audience and performers. Bradford likes to give its visitors a warm welcome, but not so warm that it puts them off from coming here during the summer.

Just the job

Young people are too often in the news for all the wrong reasons. So it is with real pleasure that we are able to report today on the initiative shown by an 11-year-old Cottingley boy to boost the funds of the special care baby unit at the BRI.

Damian McAndrew's plan to swim 1,739 lengths of his local swimming pool (the equivalent of the English Channel) is a splendid example of how Bradford people find all sort of ways of supporting successive Lord Mayors' appeals. It is reassuring to know that the new generation is carrying on the tradition.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.