Bradford has been revealed tonight as the UK's next City of Culture on live TV.
Speaking on the BBC's The One Show, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nadine Dorries revealed that the West Yorkshire city had been selected over the other three final shortlisted areas - Wrexham, Southhampton and Durham.
The decision means that Bradford will attract millions of pounds of investment, as well as spend a year in the cultural spotlight hosting numerous events.
As the news broke, Bradford locals hugged, cheered and cried in the crowd, before the camera panned to a group in Coventry holding up letters spelling out 'Congratulations Bradford 2025 from Coventry 2021".
A Bradford spokesperson said: "Congratulations to all the other cities for getting to this point, and come and party with us [...] in 2025!"
They added: "We're going to party all night"
The city follows in the footsteps of Coventry, Derry/Londonderry and Hull, who have all held the title since the first UK City of Culture was first announced in 2010.
A new city has been announced every four years since its inception.
The bidding process for 2025 was conducted between 2021 and 2022, with 20 areas initially shortlisted.
Dorries described Bradford as a “worthy winner” of the 2025 title.
She said: “Art and culture should be accessible to everyone and this prestigious title will help Bradford deliver unforgettable events for communities on their doorstep.
“Coventry has shown us how powerful the UK city of culture title is at boosting investment, attracting visitors and leaving a lasting legacy for local people.”
Ilkley Brewery tweeted in response to the news: "We are proud to be part of such a diverse, beautiful, creative and friendly community."
Bradford boasts a large number of cultural assets, including the Kala Sangam Arts Centre, which specialises in South Asian art, the Bradford Literature Festival, the Brontë Parsonage, Saltaire Unesco world heritage site and the National Science and Media Museum.
It successfully argued in a document as part of its application for the prestigious title that it would transform the area into a “creative powerhouse – building on our existing cultural assets and heritage; attracting significant investment, jobs, and new opportunities for everyone who lives and works here”.
The judges said they were impressed with Bradford's bid and the way it focused on celebrating the power of the city's diversity in order to create new opportunities.
Sir Phil Redmond, chair of the competition’s independent advisory panel, added: “The selection is never about whether one bid is better than another, it is more that one bid has the potential to make a bigger and deliverable impact …. I am looking forward to seeing how far the cultural bar can be raised in [2025].”
News
Female-founded independent jewellery brand to open in Leeds’ Victoria Gate
Norfolk-based jewellery brand Lisa Angel is opening their first Yorkshire site right here in Leeds.
Jewellery and trinket lovers, this one's for you.
Lisa Angel, a female-founded jewellery and gifting brand will open the doors to its new store in Victoria Gate next month.
Shoppers can expect a wonderful range of jewellery, gifts, and accessories that have established a loyal following during more than twenty years of business.
Founded in 2004 by Lisa hand making jewellery which she sold at craft fairs local to her Norfolk home, the business has only gone from strength to strength since.
Image: Supplied
The brand is now a recognised part of the British high street landscape, boasting seven other stores across Norfolk, Suffolk, and the Midlands.
After opening two stores last year and three stores in 2024, Lisa Angel’s founder and Creative Director, Lisa, said: “As an independent retailer, we are thrilled to launch in a destination with such a reputation as Victoria Leeds.
"We believe retail should remain grounded in inspiration and discovery, and we look forward to bringing just that to the vibrant city of Leeds, in our first store in the north.”
Managing Director James Moody explained the significance to the business of opening a new store in a city as influential as Leeds: “We're incredibly excited to be opening our first northern showcase store in such a prestigious location.
"Victoria Leeds represents exactly the kind of vibrant retail destination where we can bring the full Lisa Angel experience to new customers. This is a significant milestone for us as we continue to grow our retail presence."
We'll keep you up to date when we know an opening date, but for now you can check out what to expect here.
Yorkshire residents are being invited to name two new bin lorries
Clementine Hall
Well...this is a new one.
Ever fancied naming a bin lorry? Well today is your lucky day, because now you can.
Yorkshire-based waste management experts Divert are celebrating the arrival of two swanky new tbin rucks by inviting the local community to help name them.
The iconic purple bins, vans and trucks can be seen across the Yorkshire area helping to clean up waste from Bradford to Harrogate.
Two new lorries are set to be joining the fleet in April and May, and of course they need a name.
And who better to ask than the general public? The winning names will be added to the cabs of each of the trucks for all to see, and announced via the Divert website and social media channels.
Absolutely anyone from across the UK is welcome to take part, but the company are especially keen for people from Yorkshire to enter.
You can be as creative as you like, but there are a couple of rules...
No swearing or offensive names. Aside from that, you can let your freak flag fly.
The Divert team are keen to hear the 'best celebrity puns, local namesakes, and downright silly names' the public have to offer.
John Verity, Managing Director of Divert, comments: “Naming our bin trucks is a great way to bring some joy to the local community. We hope to bring a smile to the faces of passing drivers and pedestrians as our fleet passes by.
“Not only that, naming our lorries can help our drivers to take pride and ownership in the vehicles they drive and be a key reminder of our engagement within the community. We’re always keen to employ any initiatives that help the public to engage with us and ensure we’re seen as a friendly face in the area.”
Winners will be voted for by the team internally, and the competition closes at 5 pm on 31 March 2026.
The Hoot -
31st May 2022 
