Leaders of Bradford's Pakistani community are proposing a new city centre museum to explore the cultural heritage of immigrants who have settled in the district.

The Centre of Excellence for Cultural Heritage would showcase the clothing, language, customs and artwork of the many different cultures in the city.

The attraction, proposed by the Pakistan Society of West Yorkshire, would also chart the stories of immigrants who came to Bradford virtually penniless and became influential businessmen or civic leaders.

But Bradford Council says it already has several museums and galleries across the district which interpret the area's communities and cultures, and its priority is to develop these existing facilities.

The Council said that plans to open up part of Bradford City Hall as a heritage centre had been drawn up, but any such plans would require significant external funding - money which was in the process of being sought.

The idea for a new museum is being spearheaded by the Pakistan Society's president, Rashid Awan, who believes it would be the ideal tourist attraction to emerge alongside Bradford's ongoing regeneration.

He said the museum would need to be housed in one of the high-profile city centre developments to have maximum impact on visitors.

Mr Awan, 70, from Allerton, said: "We have to sell ourselves culturally and get people visiting Bradford from all over the world. I have had a meeting with the chief executive of Bradford Council about setting up a Centre of Excellence for Cultural Heritage in Bradford - a museum for housing various cultural aspects of the communities living in the city.

"It would include food, dress, language and heritage, while showing the love and affection immigrants have for this city.

"It would look at how immigrants have contributed economically and socially to the city of Bradford, including the people who came with £5 in their pocket and went on to become millionaires running factories with hundreds of people working for them.

"Lots of languages are spoken in this city - 72 in total - and it would be great to have some translations into English of some of the good poetry from their various parts of the world, so this work can be enjoyed by English-speaking people as well. These virtues will be available for young people from all communities to read and benefit from."

Jane Glaister, the Council's strategic director of culture, tourism and sport, said: "Our museums and galleries in Manningham, Ilkley, Keighley, Eccleshill, Bowling and Baildon (Brackenhall) interpret the history of the district, its communities, culture and natural history in exciting and innovative ways.

"Cartwright Hall has recently been awarded a £1 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant to re-furbish the cross-cultural galleries concentrating on world cultures and we are opening two new galleries in the city centre in July, which will showcase the work of both young and established artists.

"The idea of opening up part of City Hall as a heritage centre, enabling people to enjoy the Victorian building and to learn about significant events in the development of the district, was proposed some time ago. We have had plans and options drawn up which would require significant funding to progress.

"We are now in the process of identifying any significant external funding streams which may support the development of the project but our priorities at the moment are on developing our excellent existing facilities and on opening the Bradford 1 and Impressions galleries."

e-mail: will.kilner@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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