Park boost for shops is welcome (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Park boost for shops is welcome

8:50am Tuesday 5th June 2012 in Our View By Telegraph & Argus

Those who had their doubts about the transformation of Centenary Square into the Mirror Pool and City Park should today feel a little happier.

Yes, it was an expensive regeneration project, but anyone who visited the city centre during the hot weather last week will have seen how it has become a much-needed focus for the middle of Bradford.

Throughout the hot spell, the Mirror Pool attracted hundreds of people to bask in the sunshine and enjoy the coolness of the water feature. It certainly seems to have captured the public’s imagination and adds an attractive focal point to the centre.

More than that, though, the City Park now appears to be having a positive economic effect on Bradford.

This, of course, was always the central idea behind the City Park – create an area where people feel relaxed, comfortable and safe and they will feel happier about coming into the city centre and, hopefully, spend money there.

That appears to be happening as a new survey of city centre trade shows an increased footfall in Bradford’s shops, which is being put down directly to the effect of the Mirror Pool and its environs encouraging more people to linger in the centre.

This should prove to those who think that there’s little worth spending their money on in Bradford city centre that, given the right incentive, people will come and help to support the local economy.

And hopefully this will send a strong signal to Westfield and the stores it is signing up to fill the Broadway shopping centre that the time is now right to crack on with completing this long-overdue project.