City of Culture

the problem with your negative view is the money being spent elsewhere would mean it's spent in durham, Southampton or wrexham.

this is a game changer. 3,000 jobs, a million tourists, £700 million boost the economy. I'm so proud we have got this that I blubbed when it was announced.

give them chance to make it work.

 

If they can show me that they are creating 3,000 proper jobs that will be here long after I'm gone then I'll give them a bit of credit. But what exactly are these jobs? This '£700 million' boost, from what? How is it generated? Look, me and you have seen enough failed vanity projects in Bradford to last a life time, all start with good intentions but when the smoke has cleared nothing changes. Yeah, I'd like to see the dump given a boost, but a few open air concerts and Melas ain't gonna change the downward spiral of what is a city thats outlived the purpose it was originally set up for. My opinion it's just a waste of money.

 

Me neither - it's weird!!

Does the city deserve "city of culture" if you take it literally? Of course not but neither did Hull or Coventry. It's a great opportunity to showcase positivity about Bradford and get some investment in, both of which are immensely positive and also needed.

 

As a born and bred Bradfordian who lived there for 68 years and still call it home I am delighted that the city is getting some welcome publicity and hopefully some long term investment.
The city of culture year will bring hopefully a lot of visitors to the area I hope before then the main routes into the city are tidied up and given a facelift to make a good first impression.
I have a forlorn hope that all factions in the city will shake of their cynicism and make the best of this great opportunity to improve the fortunes of the city

 

It’s woven into the fabric of every Bradfordian, sadly. I’m no exception. Although, I can only see this announcement as a good thing.

 

Essentially this.

It's like the FA Vase, a competition for those lightyears away from the elite.

Or the group 4 of the Nations League where the likes of San Marino, Andorra and Gibraltar compete to win the group.

 

Ba Humbug !

 

Making people feel less sht can only be a good thing. Unless you rather like the idea of others feeling just as sht as you.

 

You’re assuming I feel shit - I couldn’t really care less. Just call it as I see it.

 

The money is getting spent somewhere so would you rather it was given a go here or elsewhere?

Or are you saying just get rid of City of Culture totally and do what with the money?

 

Where do you think the money comes from? D.you think they shake a magic money tree and £50 notes fall out? Personally, and because of the cynical side of me, I'd get rid of what I see as a pointless award I'm still to be shown how and where this investment is coming from and where all these well paid jobs are coming from? How are jobs going to be created that were never there before? This ain't me slagging off my city just because I don't believe in the city of culture bollocks, heck I've lived here 50 years. I'm just cynical of spending a fortune to create 'jobs' when it's investment in infrastructure and industry that creates the real jobs. The Odeon a case in point, the council had no intention of reopening it until public pressure and interest helped save it. The amount of ancillary jobs created on the back of this is more than welcome in a city centre that has very little going for it

 

Looking at Coventry and Hull a large chunk of cash has been spent on infrastructure. Coventry about £40m, which was cut back from the original plan of £66m.

 

You know as well as I do mate that £40 million barely gets you a bit of road these days. This city needs far bigger decisions made than the city of culture. An integrated transport system with Leeds, we must have the worst road network in the country. And two rail stations that are frankly an embarrassment to a city that is trying to portray itself on the world stage with this culture award. This city does have some good things going for it but they are few and far between. Let's face it most who get away from here never come back

 

Interesting to note that Hull and Coventry have a higher rate of unemployment than the rest of the UK
Some on here think that Bradford will actually create employment and attract larger companies to set up shop there whoever is in charge has their work cut out that's for sure
Good Luck with that one !!!

 

Just putting this out....with no comment...!!

 

And you are assuming that everyone else feels sht. If you throw it don't be too surprised if you get a bit thrown back.
I don't understand why some people are so negative. Being negative in itself achieves fck all unless you use that negativity as a catalyst to make a change for the good. I can only see this City of Culture as a good thing for Bradford. We can argue how little or how much the effects will be. We can argue if the money could be better spent elsewhere. I presume that central government are dishing out the dosh so if wasn't going to Bradford it was going elsewhere. May as well make the best of it.

 

I’d rather it was called for what it is - a government grant for deprived areas - to dress it up as ‘culture’ is an insult to anyone of reasonable intelligence.
Hopefully it’ll go towards worthwhile projects that will benefit the city and the people within it, not stupid white elephants that this city is famous for.

 

Well yes, it is a government grant. 2025 will be only the fourth one dished out and it does look like they go to places that have seen better days.
The term 'culture' can be a bit of a nebulous term. For some it's a Beethoven string quartet, for others it's the Rolling stones circa 1967. Some might say that football is a form of low culture for the plebs. I'm not so sure that I would agree with them.

 

Same here. Just because I don't see the worth in something doesn't mean I'm negative about everything else. Always said if you can show me how Bradford will benefit from something long term then I'm all ears. This city of culture is just putting lipstick on a pig.