As Bradford begins its year as UK City of Culture, it is not only trying to show a different side to the rest of the country, but is also hoping to win over the city’s skeptics.
One of the first productions is a radio play written by broadcaster Nick Ahad, and its subject is Bradford’s battered reputation.
“The working title of this work was ‘Bradford, City of Culture?!’ because we knew that would be the reaction when people knew that we would be the City of Culture in 2025,” he explains.
Ahad finally settled on the excellent title Bilal and Ted’s Bradfordian Journey, and it is in BBC sounds. One of the actors is Seeta Wrightson, a comedian from the city.
“I think it has a really unfair bad reputation. And I think that’s because in the news or on social media people don’t want to talk about good things.”
‘Why is Bradford so…?’
Wrightson is not wrong.
The headlines about Bradford are often brutal. In recent months, the news has declared it the gloomiest city in Britain (because it has less sun) and the second most depressing place to live.
Write the words “Why is Bradford so…?” into a search engine and see what happens. You will most likely get the following autocomplete options: “bad,” “dangerous,” and “poor.”
And it’s not just the opinions of people outside the city. Dr Paul Sullivan from the University of Bradford has carried out research into stigma. His hometown is Cork, Ireland, a place where his comedians make fun of his high opinion of himself. He found that Bradford was quite different.
“What surprised me was… the almost lack of civic pride.
“Even reading the local newspaper, some of the headlines can be very optimistic, and underneath there are a lot of comments saying: ‘This is a disaster, it will just never work, Bradford is doomed’.”
But Dr. Sullivan is a fan.
“I love the city. I fell in love with Bradford immediately. I love the city center, the beautiful countryside. And it was really a big surprise to me to see that level of negativity.”
In his view, much of this is rooted in an external, almost ideological hostility toward the city’s ethnic diversity.
“I think there is a reluctance to admit that Bradford can be successful. A wish for Bradford to fail.”
However, in the face of this antagonism, he feels something developing.
In his recent interviews with residents, “there was a real sense of pride, for their sense of belonging.”
It was an issue Ahad and Wrightson also raised. Diversity has become completely bland.
“I am Bangladeshi and English. My wife is Pakistani and Indian, and here you don’t have to explain,” says Ahad.
“Like 100%,” Wrightson adds. “I am of mixed heritage, my mother is Indian and my father is English. And growing up, it wasn’t a big deal.”
For many, the City of Culture has become a moment to look beyond the problems and defend what emerges from its diversity.
People feel welcome
Natalie Davies, an actress and writer from Bradford, is creating a play about the city’s nightlife.
“The stigma that has been associated with it for years is old now, and that’s not what Bradford is about.
“I am very lucky. I’ve worked in television, I’ve worked in film, I’ve worked in theater and radio, and every time I go on a set, I always defend Bradford.
“This is a really great place, and the thing is that anyone from anywhere can come to Bradford and feel like they belong and we maintain that. “People come and feel completely welcome.”
“It’s lovely.”
City of Culture has also been an opportunity for people to take stock of Bradford’s cultural history and the famous names that emerged from here.
Among them are the artist David Hockney, the playwright JB Priestley, the composer Delius and the Brontë sisters.
“Emily Brontë, you just assume you’re from Bradford,” says Wrightson.
For her, City of Culture has been a time to look at what makes the city special. And time and time again, speaking to young people in Bradford, while some mention the Brontes, the spectacular Victorian architecture, the first free school meals or the diversity, almost everyone seems to agree that the city’s food is key.
Of course, no two people seem to agree on where you can get the best curry, but perhaps one of the best-known restaurants is Akbar’s, famous for the creation of the giant hanging naan.
Created to save space on a table, the aquainted naan has grown to a size that has defeated even the biggest Yorkshire appetite.
“People have tried. None of them have made it,” says Samad Iqbal, who started working at Akbar’s when he was 15 and is a proud ambassador for a city that describes itself as the curry capital.
“Some people call it elephant ears. Some people call it a Christmas tree. But this familiar naan has spread all over the world.
“I am very proud of Bradford, I was born and raised here. It’s a fantastic place to live, a fantastic place to eat. “It’s places like this that show the true spirit of Bradford.”
It seems that Bradford 2025 has already started to take effect. According to Dr. Sullivan, it has encouraged people to speak positively about the city.
“In recent years we have seen a change. Now I speak from opinion and not research, but I think we’ve seen a shift towards civic pride, and I think the catalyst for that to really come to fruition will be Bradford. 2025.”
