Bradford Overview
Bradford is one of the biggest cities in the UK, it is an exciting vibrant city with over 500,000 people living there, it is expanding day by day with students flocking to this great city to study and have a good time. Bradford started off as a small rural town which changed dramatically during the industrial revolution which since then has just been getting bigger and better as the years went on. The Victorians constructed some beautiful buildings which are still standing to this very day, the gothic style City Hall, the incredibly sculptured St George’s Hall and the historical wool exchange that shows how important the wool trade in Bradford was, Bradford cathedral plus many other great buildings. The Victorian style buildings are not the only thing this city has to offer, with an economy worth more than £9.5bn making it the 8th largest in England. The shear size of this economy has made it exciting for students, as several multinational organisations such as Yorkshire Building Society and Morrisons base their headquarters here. It doesn’t just host huge companies, it is also an entrepreneurial city that is home to many start-ups. Bradford has been voted the curry capital of the UK for 6 years in a row and with a bustling Asian community it is the perfect place for any students who like to experience several different cultures all in one place. Living here is very affordable and the city centre is very compact and if you like huge shopping centres, Leeds is under 10 miles away.
Things to do in Bradford
There has been a revitalisation in Bradford’s nightlife over the past few years with new clubs, bars and pubs popping up all over the city. The Priestly Centre or as it is now known the Bradford Playhouse is a 290-seat theatre which hosts some brilliant shows such as The Wizard of Oz which is a must see for any students living in Bradford. You will ever struggle to find live music, a lot of the pubs and bars have live music or live DJ’s with a wide variety of music being played. If it’s films you like, then visit the ODEON cinema situated between Bradford and Leeds which has 13 screens with the 2 biggest screens having DTS digital surround sound for the complete cinema experience. Pictureville is a cinema that shows the latest big releases all the way to lost classics, it is one of three public venues in the world that can show 3 strip Cinerama. Bradford is one of the best places to experience arts, culture film and music with a yearly film festival for a whole month! University students usually stick near to the campus when they go drinking or clubbing, but for those of you who fancy dancing the night away at a major club then Leeds is only down the road, the clubs in Leeds regularly have big names DJing there and are a great night out.
Sport in Bradford
Bradford FC football team which started in 1903 is the biggest sporting team in Bradford with the Valley Parade stadium being able to have 25,136 fans getting behind the team and urging them on to victory. There are two new leisure centres opening in Bradford that will be able to cater for all your sporting needs such as; swimming, dancing, gym, and many more features which will be a great place to stay in shape. Not only does Bradford have a great football team, but they are also the home for the Bradford Bulldogs which play ice hockey at the ice rink in the city centre.
Escape Bradford
If you fancy seeing something new, then head just outside of Bradford to a small market town called Pateley Bridge which is know for having the oldest sweet shop in England. The Yorkshire Dales are also near by which has beautiful scenery and the best place to get that perfect picture. The Yorkshire dales has thousands of square miles of moors, valleys, hills and villages which you can spend hours walking around. Saltaire is a model village built in the Victorian times which is free to enter and open all year round apart from Christmas day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Transport in Bradford
Travelling to and from Bradford is very easy with a host of motorway and public transport links which will help you get where ever you need to be. The M606 starts 1.5 miles outside of Bradford and links to the M1 which connects the south to the north. If you need to get anywhere via train, there are two central train stations called; Bradford Interchange and Bradford Forster Square which connect with trains going to Manchester, London and other places. Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) is situated just seven miles from Bradford and is one of the fastest growing regional airports in the country.
