Selling Bradford to London deemed ‘a success’ (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

So Bradford's been sold to London. What did we get for it? was it the nominal price of £1 as in the case of the Odeon? It's a good job they went down there instead of having the Londoners come here and seeing the state that Bradfords in or we'd have struggled to get that.
Ps “We were not expecting anyone to sign on the dotted lane today" and the T&A may have a vacancy for a proof reader if any of you jobseekers are interested.

It can be deemed a success if several business sign up, deeming it a success at this stage is jumping the gun somewaht and will leave alot of egg on peoples faces.

It is only success if vacancies in Westfield is sold out and they start to build on Monday and get shops open in double quick time.
By the way as Morrisons taken space in Westfield?
Also if Morrisons doing so well why so much of Enterprise Five closed down?

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:
It can be deemed a success if several business sign up, deeming it a success at this stage is jumping the gun somewaht and will leave alot of egg on peoples faces.

I've lost count of the times that Maud Marshall and MacRuari went off on their regeneration trips to the South of France and came back saying how impressed everybody was.
What concrete evidence of success ever came of it?

"100 companies hearing what the district can offer them."

How does "hearing" equate to success?
Success is clinching deals rather than bum's on seats, and as they say, talk is cheap!

Great to see they are still rolling out the huge smoke screen about the reality of the Regional Growth Fund money.
The fact of the matter is that to get the Government £17.6m, is very dependent on Westfield being up and running by the end of 2015.
If Westfield have not signed enough tenants to kickstart the build before the end of 2013, then the project will be dead in the water, because the £17.6m is ringfenced to the Westfield tenant rate relief scheme, which to receive this money, is dependent on Westfield being up and running by the end of 2015.

So the reality is not quite how they would have us believe, and that Bradford's growth is very dependent on Westfield/Meyer Bergman coming good sooner rather than later!

angry bradfordian wrote:

Thee Voice of Reason wrote: It can be deemed a success if several business sign up, deeming it a success at this stage is jumping the gun somewaht and will leave alot of egg on peoples faces.

I've lost count of the times that Maud Marshall and MacRuari went off on their regeneration trips to the South of France and came back saying how impressed everybody was. What concrete evidence of success ever came of it?

the growing momentum behind his company’s Broadway development there had never been a better time for retailers to invest or open in Bradford.

Why do the T&A simply post such tripe?
What growning momentum, nothing has been done in years, the only thing to report of in 4 years is it's transition into a garden, thats not growing momentum.
We've been told Next, Debenhams and M&S have all signed up but we knew that back in 2008, they have just stuck by and stories have been released by this paper rehashing the same crap over and over.
I'm certain the only thing secured on this business trip was a large expenses bill by Reeves n all.

How on earth can the CEO of Morrisons go to |London to promote Bradford, when his Company have recently transferred two of their Head Office departments to India, making a lot of loyal Bradford people unemployed? Is this is what is meant by being "two faced"?

Freda's mum wrote:
How on earth can the CEO of Morrisons go to |London to promote Bradford, when his Company have recently transferred two of their Head Office departments to India, making a lot of loyal Bradford people unemployed? Is this is what is meant by being "two faced"?

Spot on.
This action by Morrisons turned it from being a Bradford company to just another national corporate company.

Dalton Philips says Morrisons will be staying in Bradford because the people here will work for a pittance and then spend it in'store. Not now Dalton ASDA is open on cemetery road.

Freda's mum wrote:
How on earth can the CEO of Morrisons go to |London to promote Bradford, when his Company have recently transferred two of their Head Office departments to India, making a lot of loyal Bradford people unemployed? Is this is what is meant by being "two faced"?

Not just Morrison's who've just made the accounts department redundant and haven't opened a new store in Bradford for at least five years, but also Westfield who've just sold their ownership of the City's non-existent shopping centre.

The London businesses were probably sniggering into their free lunch as they watched the hypocrisy on view!

angry bradfordian wrote:

Freda's mum wrote:
How on earth can the CEO of Morrisons go to |London to promote Bradford, when his Company have recently transferred two of their Head Office departments to India, making a lot of loyal Bradford people unemployed? Is this is what is meant by being "two faced"?

Not just Morrison's who've just made the accounts department redundant and haven't opened a new store in Bradford for at least five years, but also Westfield who've just sold their ownership of the City's non-existent shopping centre.

The London businesses were probably sniggering into their free lunch as they watched the hypocrisy on view!

Do they serve meals at those sleazy Soho bars now then?

Whatthejuice wrote:

Freda's mum wrote:
How on earth can the CEO of Morrisons go to |London to promote Bradford, when his Company have recently transferred two of their Head Office departments to India, making a lot of loyal Bradford people unemployed? Is this is what is meant by being "two faced"?

Spot on.
This action by Morrisons turned it from being a Bradford company to just another national corporate company.

Morrisons stoped being loyal to Bradford once Ken retired, it just happens that the HO is in Bradford.

As per ususal all we get is more talks which have been going on for years. What the majority of folk want is for building work on the Westfield site to start sooner rather than later and get this shopping centre off the ground.

RollandSmoke wrote:

angry bradfordian wrote:

Freda's mum wrote:
How on earth can the CEO of Morrisons go to |London to promote Bradford, when his Company have recently transferred two of their Head Office departments to India, making a lot of loyal Bradford people unemployed? Is this is what is meant by being "two faced"?

Not just Morrison's who've just made the accounts department redundant and haven't opened a new store in Bradford for at least five years, but also Westfield who've just sold their ownership of the City's non-existent shopping centre.

The London businesses were probably sniggering into their free lunch as they watched the hypocrisy on view!

Do they serve meals at those sleazy Soho bars now then?

Yes! Tarts are a speciality.

Joedavid wrote:
It is only success if vacancies in Westfield is sold out and they start to build on Monday and get shops open in double quick time.
By the way as Morrisons taken space in Westfield?
Also if Morrisons doing so well why so much of Enterprise Five closed down?

Morrisons are doing quite well, and the reason they have empty units @ Enterprise 5 is not because they are struggling, its the businesses that take up the units that are the problem.

Over the years we have had lots of words and artists impressions. When are we going to see concrete?

Doing quite well??

Morrisons of late are NOT doing well.

In Sept they reported a £9m dip in sales against the same period last year, and at the same time, they also anounced that expansion plans were being scaled back!

bobby98007 wrote:

Joedavid wrote:
It is only success if vacancies in Westfield is sold out and they start to build on Monday and get shops open in double quick time.
By the way as Morrisons taken space in Westfield?
Also if Morrisons doing so well why so much of Enterprise Five closed down?

Morrisons are doing quite well, and the reason they have empty units @ Enterprise 5 is not because they are struggling, its the businesses that take up the units that are the problem.

No the business did not have the leases renewed when they came up for renewal earlier this year as Morrisons wanted to expand.

Doing quite well??

Morrisons of late are NOT doing well.

In Sept they reported a £9m dip in sales against the same period last year, and at the same time, they also anounced that expansion plans were being scaled back!

"Why do the T&A simply post such tripe"?

Quite simply because it's lazy, easy journalism. Council press releases re-printed as news without question, challenge or comment.