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New home found for city visitor centre

Work is under way on the visitor information centre Work is under way on the visitor information centre

A permanent home has been found for Bradford’s visitor information centre in a key location between the new City Park and the site of what will become the Broadway shopping centre.

The building, on Broadway, is already owned by Bradford Council and was home to the young people’s Information Shop before it moved to the new Culture Fusion facility in Thornton Road.

It is now being refurbished and Council bosses expect the new centre to open next month.

The fixtures and fittings are being reused from the old visitor information centre in City Hall, which became a police contact centre last year.

As a temporary move, a scaled-down visitor information centre was set up in the City Hall reception, but the space meant no gifts or souvenirs could be offered.

The Council’s visitor economy manager, Trish Tillotson, said: “It’s a brilliant location in an area of really good footfall and is in between what will become the Westfield shopping centre and the City Park. It’s also in between both railway stations and near the bus station.

“We hope to increase the retail offer with souvenirs and gifts, and we will be selling short breaks in the UK and tickets for local events too, such as Bingley Music Live.

“Our remit is to encourage people to visit the Bradford district and to stay over, but we also want to cater for people who live within the district.”

Mrs Tillotson said the four workers from the previous visitor information centre would be reunited in the Broadway centre, next to Britannia House, as some of them had been helping out at the new Saltaire visitor information centre which opened in Salts Mill in October.

Police officers were handed the keys to the old visitor information centre in City Hall last year. The move has enabled Neighbourhood Policing Team officers to work from the building – the site of the former City Hall Police Station – after an absence of nearly four decades.

Comments(29)

Avro says...
8:11am Mon 23 Jan 12

Bradford "souvenirs and gifts" - stick of rock anyone?

Thee Voice of Reason says...
8:19am Mon 23 Jan 12

And what will become the broadway shopping centre.
.
I see its gone completely quiet on that front, no news is good news but not in Westfields case, where no news means nothing will happen.

mad matt says...
9:43am Mon 23 Jan 12

Well at least that's one shop that won't becone a bookies/poundshop/ch
arity shop/phone shop/shisha lounge/++++++++

Wakeywakey says...
9:45am Mon 23 Jan 12

What on earth is a "Culture fusion facility"?

idleone says...
9:49am Mon 23 Jan 12

Bradford council does come out with some rubbish! Who the hell wants a gift from Bradford? Bradford council have killed dead our once proud great city. It's full of asylum seekers, illegal immigrants and chavs. It's no place to bring my children and no place to be proud of any more. Too little, way too late. Leeds for me!

angry bradfordian says...
9:58am Mon 23 Jan 12

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:
And what will become the broadway shopping centre.
.
I see its gone completely quiet on that front, no news is good news but not in Westfields case, where no news means nothing will happen.
Only 9 days until it starts!

Well, that's the assumption I'm making as we haven't heard any new news since they last said it was starting in February.
Or perhaps the council's press department too busy writing stories about the smallest irrelevance on City Park?

angry bradfordian says...
10:00am Mon 23 Jan 12

Wakeywakey wrote:
What on earth is a "Culture fusion facility"?
Don't know, but we're all paying for it whatever it is.

Joedavid says...
10:04am Mon 23 Jan 12

Wonder why the Council not taking a place in the Westfield shopping center?
Have they no faith like us that Westfield will not happen.

yorkshiredude says...
10:27am Mon 23 Jan 12

Wakeywakey wrote:
What on earth is a "Culture fusion facility"?
A youth centre.

yorkshiredude says...
10:34am Mon 23 Jan 12

idleone wrote:
Bradford council does come out with some rubbish! Who the hell wants a gift from Bradford? Bradford council have killed dead our once proud great city. It's full of asylum seekers, illegal immigrants and chavs. It's no place to bring my children and no place to be proud of any more. Too little, way too late. Leeds for me!
Me! Then again, I've got an 'I love Wigan' mug on my desk... (bought from the Wigan visitor centre, no less). I've also seen some beautiful artwork of local Middlesbrough landmarks about, which I liked.

Maybe they could sell T&A comment bingo cards.. I reckon we'd have got a house from your comment alone (though they only give away houses to certain people right?) !

Albion. says...
10:51am Mon 23 Jan 12

Now all they need are visitors!
I wonder what the most frequent question will be, any ideas?

Joedavid says...
11:10am Mon 23 Jan 12

Albion. wrote:
Now all they need are visitors!
I wonder what the most frequent question will be, any ideas?
" Way out? "

Thee Voice of Reason says...
11:32am Mon 23 Jan 12

Most common question of the infomation desk. "Please can you point me in the direction of the benefits office".

Wakeywakey says...
12:27pm Mon 23 Jan 12

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:
Most common question of the infomation desk. "Please can you point me in the direction of the benefits office".
Oh, Yes!

Bone_idle18 says...
12:31pm Mon 23 Jan 12

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:
Most common question of the infomation desk. "Please can you point me in the direction of the benefits office".
Or.."Do you have anyway I can safely dispose of hyperdermic needles?"

Thee Voice of Reason says...
12:41pm Mon 23 Jan 12

Bone_idle18 wrote:
Thee Voice of Reason wrote: Most common question of the infomation desk. "Please can you point me in the direction of the benefits office".
Or.."Do you have anyway I can safely dispose of hyperdermic needles?"
Yes there is a bin round the corner next to KFC.

Superdoo says...
1:05pm Mon 23 Jan 12

They will be pleased with that answer seeing as the Benefits Office is moving back to Britannia House so they won't have far to go. Then across the road, they can visit a variety of bookies before visiting the splendiforous vista that is, cough, the City Park.

basil fawlty says...
2:06pm Mon 23 Jan 12

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:
And what will become the broadway shopping centre. . I see its gone completely quiet on that front, no news is good news but not in Westfields case, where no news means nothing will happen.
I recall reading something about Westfield in the T&A business section recently in an article about the proposed new Bradford College campus. I think it was the developer who said that Westfield were currently searching for office accommodation in Bradford, and in the opinion of this person, he was expecting Westfield to make an announcement about begining the scheme before March. Lets hope he was right.

Patrick Bateman says...
2:39pm Mon 23 Jan 12

Wakeywakey wrote:
What on earth is a "Culture fusion facility"?
Dunno: but you can be guaranteed that it was money well spent. That's all you need to know sunshine. ;)

Patrick Bateman says...
2:50pm Mon 23 Jan 12

yorkshiredude wrote:
Wakeywakey wrote:
What on earth is a "Culture fusion facility"?
A youth centre.
Then why not call it that rather then ascribe it some meaningless, PC- cobblers name?

Christ; sometimes it really IS getting like Orwell's 'Newspeak'.

Avro says...
3:18pm Mon 23 Jan 12

basil fawlty wrote:
Thee Voice of Reason wrote: And what will become the broadway shopping centre. . I see its gone completely quiet on that front, no news is good news but not in Westfields case, where no news means nothing will happen.
I recall reading something about Westfield in the T&A business section recently in an article about the proposed new Bradford College campus. I think it was the developer who said that Westfield were currently searching for office accommodation in Bradford, and in the opinion of this person, he was expecting Westfield to make an announcement about begining the scheme before March. Lets hope he was right.
You won't be surprised to learn that property developer Andrew Mason has a vested interest in Westfield, so its no wonder he's talking it up, because how would investors in the companies he's involved in feel if he didn't?

Westfield looking for offices is not building it, we've already had their office which came and went last time around!

TirNaNog says...
3:55pm Mon 23 Jan 12

idleone wrote:
Bradford council does come out with some rubbish! Who the hell wants a gift from Bradford? Bradford council have killed dead our once proud great city. It's full of asylum seekers, illegal immigrants and chavs. It's no place to bring my children and no place to be proud of any more. Too little, way too late. Leeds for me!
Bye then!

TirNaNog says...
4:04pm Mon 23 Jan 12

I knew from the storyline who and what I'd find in here and they didn't let me down! Sad? Possibly. Predictable? Definitely. Carry on chaps!
PS Don't forget to mention the Odeon at some point and maybe some Asians. ;-)

Thee Voice of Reason says...
4:16pm Mon 23 Jan 12

Avro wrote:
basil fawlty wrote:
Thee Voice of Reason wrote: And what will become the broadway shopping centre. . I see its gone completely quiet on that front, no news is good news but not in Westfields case, where no news means nothing will happen.
I recall reading something about Westfield in the T&A business section recently in an article about the proposed new Bradford College campus. I think it was the developer who said that Westfield were currently searching for office accommodation in Bradford, and in the opinion of this person, he was expecting Westfield to make an announcement about begining the scheme before March. Lets hope he was right.
You won't be surprised to learn that property developer Andrew Mason has a vested interest in Westfield, so its no wonder he's talking it up, because how would investors in the companies he's involved in feel if he didn't? Westfield looking for offices is not building it, we've already had their office which came and went last time around!
The fact it was mentioned in a news story about something else tells you all you need to know about the Westfield saga. If they ran a story about being on site before March as a story they would look foolish when it again didn't happen. If they hide it within a story then they can fall back on it and say they reported it if it does happen, but can ignore it when it doesn't as not many would have picked up on it.

angry bradfordian says...
4:25pm Mon 23 Jan 12

TirNaNog wrote:
I knew from the storyline who and what I'd find in here and they didn't let me down! Sad? Possibly. Predictable? Definitely. Carry on chaps!
PS Don't forget to mention the Odeon at some point and maybe some Asians. ;-)
Only as predictable as your usual response. Do you actually have an opinion on the story?

If there's a story detailing the council wasting more of our money, then why would the comments be any different than usual? Or would you prefer everybody changed their view every few weeks for a bit of variety?

MontyLeMar says...
4:39pm Mon 23 Jan 12

Joedavid wrote:
Albion. wrote:
Now all they need are visitors!
I wonder what the most frequent question will be, any ideas?
" Way out? "
or as Landless Peasant would say "far out man"

bhuna156 says...
6:33pm Mon 23 Jan 12

I thought the new tourist info was going to be in the new pavillion building in city park. What's going to be in that building then?

Moggiemad says...
7:03pm Mon 23 Jan 12

Quote,

Wonder why the Council not taking a place in the Westfield shopping center?
Have they no faith like us that Westfield will not happen.”

Maybe if you read the report, the council already own the building, that means no taxpayers money will be used for long leases and rent,
They are using existing fixtures and fittings, no outlay to furnish the center.

You lot on here are just to quick to write off the council and not see when they are trying to be sensible....

room124 says...
10:25pm Mon 23 Jan 12

Well, let's all try and be positive and maybe do some proper research. Such as how many visitors will the new "information" centre have in it's 1st/2nd/3rd months; it's first 6 months; it's first year? Once we know this then we can perhaps work out the actual cost per "visitor" head; including building refurbishment, staff and overhead costs.

And now here's a radical proposal. If Westfield are so committed to building on the waste ground just around the corner then maybe they too should also contribute towards some of the costs.

Thought not.

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