THE newly-appointed manager of Bradford's Broadway shopping centre hopes to make it the "beating heart" of the city when it opens this year.

Sue Anderson-Brown said the Westfield development was one of the biggest things to happen to Yorkshire in several years.

She said it would definitely open before Christmas, but would not confirm rumours about the exact date.

"We should be celebrating it," said the 51-year-old.

"I am overflowing with excitement. I have a very clear vision of how the Broadway is going to be, and we have an excellent team to make sure we will be unshakeable in our promise that this will be the destination of choice."

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Mrs Anderson-Brown, whose husband Robert is a finance director for Shipley firm Carnaud Metalbox Engineering, has managed Centre MK and Manchester's Arndale Centre. She has also worked for firms such as HBOS and New Look, among others, and was executive director of The Light leisure and retail centre in Leeds.

Before being appointed Broadway manager, Mrs Anderson-Brown ran the Coppergate Shopping Centre in York.

"I have come from York to come to wonderful Bradford," she said.

"I see Bradford being really proud of being given the opportunity to be put back on the map, as a retail destination that people are proud to come to.

"Broadway will be at the heart of that. I want to make Broadway the beating heart of that.

"We will work with key partners to make sure Bradford city centre is the destination where people come to enjoy their precious leisure time.

"We want to help transform this city centre and take it to the next level, so people know it's here on their doorstep and they don't have to travel elsewhere.

"The Broadway will not do this on its own - it is about partnership and offering customers choice. It is not about competition. We all need to work together.

"Without the Broadway, regeneration would have taken so much longer. You actually need a catalyst investment as grand as the Broadway to make that happen."

Mrs Anderson-Brown also said one passion of hers would be central to the new Broadway centre - car parks.

"It will be a car park that is second to none, with extremely high standards of safety and service," she said. "It will be award-winning and we will seek the European award.

"The first and last thing a customer sees is the car park."

Mrs Anderson-Brown is originally from Cardiff, but now lives in Sherburn-in-Elmet, where she has been for 16 years.

"I consider myself an adopted Yorkshire lass," said Mrs Anderson-Brown. "I married a Yorkshireman to get my passport."

"I feel really strongly about Yorkshire.

"I see the comparison of Yorkshire to my birthplace in south Wales. It is the friendliness and the culture that cannot be replaced. It has my heart."