A £2.2 million cash boost from Europe is expected to bring both tourism and jobs to Bradford.

The grants from the European Objective Two funding were today welcomed as a huge step in the right direction by councillors and tourism chiefs.

They will be used for major projects, including a Bradford Summer Festival and upgrading of the IMAX cinema - and hundreds of thousands of pounds has been set aside to ensure that local people and companies benefit from the jobs and business created by the schemes.

The successful projects are:

£380,000 to help the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television to upgrade its IMAX cinema and include cutting edge 3D technology;

£328,000 to help Bradford Market, its tourism and city centre attractions;

£85,250 towards a public arts project in Bradford city centre, aimed at making the Prince's Way subway a safer and more pleasant link between the cultural quarter and the city centre;

£830,000 to develop the prestige Bradford Cathedral 2000 project - a multi-cultural and multi-faith scheme which will be based in St Peter's House;

£425,000 for the Bradford Summer Festival, which will compliment the existing Bradford Festival;

A further £208,200 has also been awarded for a project to ensure that jobs and contracts from the high-profile developments go to local people and businesses.

Chairman of the Council's regeneration committee, Councillor Dave Green, said: "We are very pleased with this latest award from Europe. Bradford's hard work in attracting funds has paid off."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.