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
A huge new venue designed for 1,000 fans to watch the World Cup is coming to Leeds city centre
Trinity Kitchen will turn into one of the city’s biggest hotspots to watch the World Cup this summer.
The space is getting ready to be transformed into an evening fan zone with three super-size screens, a brand-new bar, DJs, brass bands and space for up to 1,000 supporters.
The space will be completely free to attend and will open just in time for the start of the tournament on Thursday 11 June.
And before you worry about getting a seat, fans will have the option of booking tables for England’s games.
It doesn't stop there, as it has also been announced that award-winning Leeds independent brewery Northern Monk will open in Trinity Kitchen for the first time.
Image: Supplied
The ‘Northern Monk Trinity Tap’ will feature two, seven-metre bars, 20 beer taps, whilst 11 street food vendors will be serving match day meals and snacks to keep you fuelled through the games.
Josie Towning, Food and Beverage Manager at Trinity Leeds, said: “Trinity Kitchen will operate as normal during the day, transforming into a football fan zone in the evening.
“It will be one of the biggest World Cup venues in Leeds with three huge screens showing the games live and more dotted around Trinity Kitchen. There will be live roaming brass bands and DJs turning every England fixture into a true celebration.
“Fans can turn up and grab a space for free and we will also be offering table bookings for England games for those who want to guarantee the best spots to watch the drama unfold.
“Our line-up of street food vendors will serve bold flavours from around the world, while the all-new Northern Monk Trinity Tap will pour award-winning craft beers across 20 taps, making Trinity Kitchen the ultimate place to eat, drink and experience every unforgettable World Cup moment."
Rooftop padel courts planned for multi-storey car park in Leeds city centre
Clementine Hall
Padel courts could be built on top of a car park in Leeds if plans are agreed.
Padel has been taking the world by storm recently, and it seems like there's no stopping it just yet.
Developers behind the Merrion Centre in Leeds have submitted plans to build eight rooftop padel courts at the shopping centre.
If successful, the development would result in the loss of 128 spaces at the car park which currently has space for 960 vehicles.
The plans outline that the courts would be built on the eighth floor of the building and that the scheme would support the fast growing popularity of the sport in the city.
The development would include seven indoor courts that would be housed in a detached aluminium-framed structure at the car park site that was built in the 1960s.
The report said: "Padel is widely recognised as a fast-growing racket sport, combining elements of tennis and squash in a format that is social, inclusive and relatively easy to learn.
"Its increasing popularity across the UK has led to a notable rise in demand for accessible courts, particularly in large urban areas."
It continued: “The application site forms part of the existing Merrion Centre car park, currently operated by CitiPark. The building comprises eight levels in total, with this proposal limited to the uppermost level.”
Leeds City Council is currently considering a full planning application which is out for consultation until Wednesday 3 June.
The Hoot -
31st May 2022 
