Losing weight or cutting down on beer was the kind of New Year Resolution you could confidently make and break within a few weeks.

But times have changed. Now Bradfordians have different priorities for the New Year.

You would need to be a magician to finish off renovating a huge, 21-room Victorian villa in one year.

Fortunately Shahid Malik is just that, although he won't be using his conjuring skills to complete the transformation of his home in 1999.

He said: "My New Year's Resolution would have to be to finish the renovation of our house.

"I have been working on it for ten years now and I want it to be done by the beginning of the Millennium.

"I am a bit of a DIY enthusiast and I build my own furniture, so it does take some time."

Mr Malik, the internationally famous Bradford-born magician, agrees that the house done, he might find himself at a bit of a loose end come the weekend.

He said: " We'll probably have to sell it and start again.

"No, not really. My second new year's resolution will be not to sell the house but to live in it."

Bradford Bulls star Robbie Paul is going to be altogether nicer to Super League officials in 1999.

The 22-year-old Kiwi half-back said: "My New Year's resolution is to live in peace and harmony with all Super League referees."

His team-mate and the new signing from Australia, Michael Withers, will be spending the year trying to fit into the Bulls scheme of things as well as helping them to victory.

"I want to establish myself in the team and help the Bulls to a Wembley vistory and Super League Grand Final glory," said the 22-year-old.

Labour MP Chris Leslie wants to do more than exercise his Parliamentary patter in 1999.

"In the Commons, you get to exercise your jawbone a lot, but not much else," he said. "I really need to go to the gym or take some more exercise.

"I'll stick my neck out and say my New Year's resolution is going to be taking strong exercise twice a week."

Along the same lines of fitness and health, Mr Leslie also wants to eat more fruit and vegetables.

"I'm always grabbing terrible sandwiches on the way down to London," he said.

"And I eat too much chocolate," he said, while admitting to nibbling on a chocolate biscuit.

"I am definitely going to eat a healthier diet in 1999."

On a similar theme, Bradford City Council leader, Councillor Ian Greenwood is going to take to the hills more often to get away from the hullabaloo of life in the debating chamber.

"I am going to get fitter than I am by going walking in the Dales more often," he said.

Keeping the blood pressure down by not getting so excited on match day is the target for 1999 of Bradford City FC managing director Sean Harvey.

"I am going to try to stay calm on match days at Bradford City. I am going to try and keep my blood pressure down, at least before the game starts at 3pm."

Bradford's Conservative group leader, Councillor Margaret Eaton, said 1999 was the year to get her priorities right.

"I am going to get the balance right between work and pleasure, in favour of pleasure."

Liberal Democrat leader, Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, said she was going to spend more time with her family in 1999.

Keighley Labour MP Ann Cryer has decided to learn from the 18 month lesson of being an MP.

"I am going to stop panicking and not try to do everything at once," she said.

"At the end of the day, you will get a better result and be a better person and a better MP for it."

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