West Yorkshire
The city centre has also been undergoing many changes with more pedestrianised streets and an extended city park at Norfolk Gardens expected to open during 2025.
Bradford is 9 miles west of Leeds , 6 miles north-east of Halifax , 11 miles north of Huddersfield and 3 miles south of the Aire Valley at Shipley .
The city is also the admin
Until the end of the 18th century, Bradford was a small rural market town with farming and cottage industry spinning and weaving among its biggest activities. It experienced rapid growth in the 19th century when it became a major centre for woollen textile manufacturing.
Bradford became a city in 1897, four years after Leeds and Sheffield and in the same year as Kingston upon Hull.
The city has become well-known for its increasing ethnic diversity over the last 200 years. In the 19th century this included Irish and Jewish immigration, after World War II there were settlers from Poland and the Ukraine, and in the latter part of the 20th century there were arrivals from Pakistan, Bangladesh and India.
For 50 years Bradford has had an Ice Arena at Little Horton Lane, providing the city and further afield with a venue for public skating, ice hockey and syncronised skating.
Since 1983, the city has been the location of what is now the National Science and Media Museum, originally called the National Museum of Film, Photography and Television.
Adjacent to the City Hall is Centenary Square, a regenerated city park area with lake and fountains providing a modern focal point for Bradford.
Find out more about Bradford's year as City of Culture in 2025 at the official
Bradford 2025 - UK City of Culture 
City features
Bradford waited a long time for a 21st century shopping centre but, after a 10-year delay in its creation, The Broadway opened with a mix of 70 stores and eateries adding to those remaining in the traditional heart of the city and its Kirkgate Centre, where there is also an indoor market. Nearby the former Rawson Market now has a host of mostly smaller shops as The Rawson Quarter. A wide variety of goods from smaller traders are also available in nearby streets and at The Oastler shopping centre.
Bradford has a Post Offices at Sunbridge Road and The Broadway and sub-post offices in its districts.
The city has a range of banks and building societies and it is also the location of the headquarters of the Yorkshire Building Society, which has its roots in Huddersfield and Bradford.
Bradford has many pharmacies in its city centre and in its districts.
Nightlife in Bradford has seen something of a revival in recent times with the opening of new bars and pubs while in the districts there are still friendly locals to be found.
It is not without good reason the Bradford has been named Curry Capital of Britain for five consecutive years. Bradford is celebrated for its award-winning asian cuisine.
Bradford ceased to be linked to waterways in 1922 when the Bradford Canal linking the city to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Shipley was closed. There are still, however some remains of the canal, which first opened in 1774.
Dozens of parks provide green lungs in and around the Bradford area. The city's largest parks include Lister Park in the Manningham area, which gained Britain's Best Park award in 2006; Peel Park, in the Undercliffe area; Bowling Park, which offers views over the city from between West Bowling and East Bowling; and Horton Park, about one mile south-west of the city centre. The city centre itself has recently had new park areas added.
Bradford CathedralStott Hill
Initially the parish church of Bradford, its oldest parts date from 1458, but the parish history can trace earlier churches. The church became a cathedral in 1919 when a new diocese of Bradford was separated from that of Ripon. Major extensions and alterations were made to the cathedral in the 1950s.More information at the
Bradford Cathedral 
Entertainment
Alhambra Theatre
Morley Street
Close to the city centre and a premier touring venue for West End and other shows, the theatre offers ballet, musicals, opera, variety, comedy and drama. The Alhambra also has a reputation for Yorkshire's biggest pantomime. Adjacent to the Alhambra, The Studio is an adaptable small theatre and rehearsal space. Bradford Live
Thornton Road
Newly-restored entertainment venue hosting live music, theatre, comedy, family shows and cultural events with seating for more than 3,000. The venue reopened in Bradford's UK City of Culture year in 2025 after a major restoration of the art deco building which originally opened in 1930 as the New Victoria with cinema, stage, ballroom and restaurant and closing as the Odeon cinema in 2000. St George's Hall
Bridge Street
Bradford's grand historic concert hall, first opened in 1853, reopened early in 2019 after three years of major renovation work.
Sport
Bradford City
'The Bantams' play at Valley Parade, The University of Bradford Stadium. Bradford City official website.
Bradford City 
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls play rugby league at The Provident Stadium, Odsal. The Bulls' women's team were 2017 Women's Super League leaders and winners of the first ever Women's Grand Final. Bradford Bulls official website.
Bradford Bulls 
University
University of Bradford
City Campus, Richmond Road, and Emm Lane Campus
Founded in 1966, the University of Bradford has its main campus at Richmond Road just over half a mile to the west of the city centre. Its faculty of management and law is based at a parkland campus at Emm Lane around two miles north north west of the city centre. More details at the University of Bradford website.
University of Bradford 
Museums
National Science and Media Museum
Pictureville, Little Horton Lane, Bradford
The museum near the city centre reopened in January 2025 after prolonged closures since 2023 with some refurbishments completed and some continuing. Those revisiting this museum may feel it has lost something of its value, national importance and direction, particularly if comparing it with its past film, photography and television speciality. The disappointment is that not just some, but many, of its past exhibits are missing with previously popular Animation and Experience TV galleries now permanently closed. Previously the museum had galleries on seven floors. As at early April 2025, three of those are still awaiting new features said to be "Coming soon" and two are occupied by temporary exhibitions needing additional admission tickets beyond the museum's free or donation admission ticketing which can be booked online. A gallery on one floor houses a child-friendly Wonderlab experience, which features fun interactive play experimentation with light and sound. Another floor now has Makespace, a space for activities to take place. As for photography, that's on level -1 in the Kodak Gallery where there is a small amount of information about the development of photography since 1826, multiple displays of old cameras and exhibits from the contents of a photography studio which operated its one camera across many decades. The three more floor re-openings planned are a Power Up gallery on Level 6, which will offer a chance to play computer games of the past, and Sound and Vision galleries on Levels 3 and Level 5. The museum has reduced daily opening hours of 10am to 5pm each day with its cafe closing earlier. There are also three cinemas, including Yorkshire's biggest IMAX screen. Cinemas are open into the evening. The National Lottery Heritage Fund has provided support for changes at the museum. More details including any information on further reopenings at the National Science and Media Museum website.
National Science and Media Museum Bradford Industrial Museum
Moorside Road, Eccleshill
The museum is housed in a Victorian worsted spinning mill, Moorside Mill, in Eccleshill, about 2 miles north east of the city centre. It has textile and engineering exhibits and displays of steam power, motor vehicles and printing machinery. Further details at the Bradford Industrial Museum website.
Bradford Industrial Museum Bradford Police Museum
City Hall
At the site of what was Bradford's police station for 100 years, this award-winning independent museum has a vast range of memorabilia from the city's policing history and guided tours of the original police station cells and a preserved Victorian court room. The museum opens on Fridays and Saturdays and for private tours. More information at the Bradford Police Museum website.
Bradford Police Museum Places to visit
Bolling Hall
Bowling Hall Road
About 1 mile south of Bradford, Bolling Hall is one of the city's oldest buildings with its earliest parts dating from the 14th century. The manor house has a rich history and has rooms furnished to represent many of the periods in its life. More information at the Bradford Museums - Bolling Hall website.
Bradford Museums - Bolling Hall 
Saltaire
Near ShipleyAbout 4 miles north-north-west of Bradford, Saltaire village on the River Aire is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The huge Salt's Mill, a former textile mill, is at the centre of a late 19th century village of stone houses which were built for the mill workers by architects employed by mill owner Sir Titus Salt. More information on our page about Saltaire .
Travel
Bradford Interchange station Bridge Street
Station managed by: NORTHERN. Operator/s: NORTHERN, GRAND CENTRAL.
NATIONAL RAIL - Departure and station infoExternal link to National Rail live departure board for services at this station (opens in new tab).
Bradford Forster Square station Forster Square
Italics - one early morning direct journey only. Change needed at other times.
Station managed by: NORTHERN. Operator/s: NORTHERN, LNER.
NATIONAL RAIL - Departure and station infoExternal link to National Rail live departure board for services at this station (opens in new tab).
Bradford Interchange Bridge Street
Metro - Bradford Interchange
Metro - Bradford Interchange Link to Metro - external web page with details of services and buses at this bus station.
Road travel
Bradford ring road is linked by the M606 motorway to the M62 which provides for east-west journeys across West Yorkshire and a route towards the M1. It also often provides a faster but less direct route to other big towns and cities in West Yorkshire.
Leeds Bradford Airport Yeadon
Further details on our Air travel page.
More information at Leeds Bradford Airport website.
Leeds Bradford Airport 
Emergency services
West Yorkshire Police West Yorkshire Police West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 
Local government
Metropolitan district council
The City of Bradford authority covers an area extending many miles beyond the city itself, including areas of moorland of The Pennines and Ilkley Moor, parts of Wharfedale and Airedale and the Worth Valley.
The area includes many separate small towns and villages, among them Addingham , Baildon , Bingley ,
Councillors are elected across 30 wards with three councillors per ward.
One councillor per ward is elected for a four-year term on each of three years out of four.
Political composition after May 2024 election:
90 members
Link to City of Bradford MDC website.
City of Bradford MDC 
See our Yorkshire.guide Gazetteer for more about the 
Bradford metropolitan district and places within it.County strategic authority
West Yorkshire Combined AuthorityCovers some combined services of the five metropolitan district councils of
Bradford , 
Calderdale , 
Leeds , 
Kirklees and 
Wakefield — which were at one time provided by a West Yorkshire metropolitan county council, with the addition of the non-contiguous unitary authority area of the City of 
York council as well as the unelected Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership. Since 2021 it has operated with an elected mayor as chairman and decision-maker for some responsibilities. These include transport, housing and planning and finance powers. The responsibilities also include those of Police and Crime Commissioner, a role substantially delegated to an appointee deputy mayor. Elected mayor:
West Yorkshire Combined Authority Police and Crime Commissioner
The Police and Crime Commissioner for West YorkshireThis role has become one of the many responsibilities of the West Yorkshire elected mayor since May 2021.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority Fire Authority
West Yorkshire Fire AuthorityThe fire authority is made up of elected members of each of the five metropolitan district councils of West Yorkshire - Bradford, Calderdale, Leeds, Kirklees and Wakefield.
West Yorkshire Fire Authority Parliamentary constituencies
Bradford WestElected MP:
Bradford East
Elected MP:
Bradford South
Elected MP:
National government region
Yorkshire and the HumberCeremonial county
West YorkshireHistoric
Municipal borough 1847-1889County borough 1889-1974 (within the West Riding of Yorkshire)
City charter from 1897