Retailers elsewhere may be tying themselves in knots trying to ensure their survival, but Bradford's Kirkgate Centre is bucking the national trend.

Over the past few months thousands of extra people have visited the thriving centre.

Its management believes a lot of extra visitors are drawn not just by the shops - but also by the car park.

Between January and June this year seven per cent more people visited the centre compared to the same period last year. This represents an additional 630,000 people a year.

Figures also show car park use has increased by a fifth in the same period.

The centre's management believes this is tangible proof that Bradford is carving out a niche as a prime shopping location in the region.

With shoppers already returning to the city, Kirkgate Centre manager Catherine Riley believes increased activity can be attributed to the arrival of new retailers and the fact that a number of existing stores have expanded and refurbished.

Other factors thought to be behind the increase include the opening of JJB Sport last month.

And, now that New Look has moved to a larger store with space for a wider selection of merchandise, its former shop has been taken over by MK One which has added shoes, jewellery and accessories to its range.

Watch Express and Heath Rack have both had extensive facelifts while the Perfume Shop and Cartridge World are both due to open shortly.

"It's a really exciting time for the city and there's no doubt people are starting to think about Bradford as a serious shopping destination," said Mrs Riley.

"We're now in a much stronger position to compete with other towns and cities and the fact that we're open seven days a week has made a difference."

With nine million visitors a year already, Mrs Riley believes additional shops being built will give an enormous boost to Bradford's retailing reputation.

She said she believed the refurbishment of the car park into a much cleaner, safer environment was behind the success story too.

And she also believed the new Rawson Quarter on the site of the old market would prove an exciting attraction when it opened at Christmas.

"There's growth and progression all the time," she said "The Bradford Market Festival next month will also add to the city's reputation."