Local Area
Bradford is a city and district full of surprises. Here are 30 facts you may not know ...
- Bradford is Britain’s fifth biggest city and metropolitan district.
- It is home to more than half a million people, of whom over 300,000 are of working age.
- Bradford has the UK’s third youngest population outside London – nearly 23 per cent are under 16.
- Its working age population of 311,000 is the largest of any major British city.
- The district’s economy, the third largest in the Yorkshire region, is the fastest growing in Yorkshire
- Its total business output has been calculated at £7.8 billion.
- Bradford has more than 15,000 businesses, providing almost 200,000 jobs.
- More ‘Footsie 100’ companies have their headquarters located in Bradford than in Leeds.
- Bradford’s growing population will need more jobs and more housing; a 30% increase in the number of households is predicted over the next 20 years, which could mean 54,000 more homes will be needed.
- The National Media Museum, in the heart of Bradford, is the country’s second most visited museum out of London.
- It is the country’s largest visitor attraction dedicated to film, television and other media.
- Bradford was chosen by UNESCO as its first City of Film.
- Haworth, home of the Bronte Sisters, is in Bradford District.
- So is the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, which features in the iconic film ‘The Railway Children.
- World renowned artist David Hockney is a Bradfordian; some of his best works can be seen at the Victorian Salt’s Mill, Saltaire.
- Composer Frederick Delius was also born in Bradford; so was the author J.B.Priestley.
- The district has the third largest number of manufacturing businesses and the tenth largest concentration of ‘advanced manufacturing’ businesses in the UK.
- The University of Bradford Business School is ranked within the top five in Europe.
- World-leading research into improving treatment for cancer and other life-threatening diseases is carried out in Bradford.
- Saltaire, the industrial village which was way ahead of its time, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The world’s finest quality cloth, tailored to make the best suits you can buy, is still made in Bradford.
- Bradford has more than 5,700 Listed buildings – twice as many as Liverpool, European Capital of Culture in 2008.
- Little Germany, once the home of the world’s leading wool merchants, has Europe’s largest concentration of Listed buildings.
- The concept of ‘shopping from home’ was pioneered in Bradford by Empire Stores and the city remains the home of Britain’s biggest home shopping companies.
- Bradford Mela, a celebration of Asian music, dance, culture and food, is the biggest of its kind in Europe.
- The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, stages Britain’s most popular pantomime.
- With more than 400 Asian restaurants, Bradford is the curry capital of the country.
- More than 90 different languages are spoken in Bradford, though more than eight out of ten of its people only speak English.
- More new businesses are being set up in Bradford than anywhere else in Yorkshire, with first year survival rates higher than national or regional averages.
- Bradford’s established strengths include high-technology communications and manufacturing, plus business and financial services, cultural, creative, health and environmental industries.
Please view our 'Visitor's guide to Bradford District' , 50 Things to do in Bradford and a short film showcasing all that's best about Bradford & District. Click this link to open an interactive map of the Hotel and local area.
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