WIDER pavements will be created outside of a number of bars, cafes and restaurants across the district to allow them to open as lockdown eases.

New seating areas will take the place of on street parking spots in Bradford city centre, Ilkley, Saltaire, Bingley, Keighley and Shipley.

Pub beer gardens and outdoor seating areas will be able to reopen on April 12 when lockdown restrictions are eased.many

However many smaller pubs and cafes do not have outdoor seating areas, raising concerns that some businesses would miss out on weeks of custom after already having been shut for months.

Today Bradford Council announced that it would be installing temporary pavement extensions outside of a number of businesses to allow customers to remain socially distant.

Similar measures were installed in North Parade last year and the Council says the measures were "well received."

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Officers from the council’s Landscape Design and Conservation and Highways teams are focusing on supporting groups of businesses that have little or no scope to adapt their sites and who rely on customers being able to use pavement space safely.

The work is to be funded by the European Regional Development Fund’s Reopening High Streets Safely Fund, the government’s Towns Fund Accelerated Funding, Bradford Business Improvement District (North Parade only) and Bradford Council.

Pavement extensions will include an additional extension on North Parade, outside Piccolinos, Bettys Tea Rooms,The Grove, on Trafalgar Road and Emporio Italia in Ilkley, Westgate in Shipley, Bingley Road and Queens Road in Saltaire and on East Parade and Cavendish Street in Keighley.

In addition a number of other businesses have applied for permission to install outdoor seating, including city centre businesses German Donner Kebab on Charles Street, Tiffin Coffee on Bank Street and Tiffin Coffee Grande at The Broadway, City Vaults on Hustlergate, The Bridge Cafe in Apperley Bridge and The Fleece Inn in Haworth.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “We know some areas of the district make it difficult for people to maintain good social distance so this project will give people the extra space they need to stay safe.

“By providing these pavement extensions it will also give businesses more space to safely operate from when they’re allowed to reopen.”

“It’s part of a broad range of measures the council has put in place to support and protect local people and businesses through the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Jonny Noble, Bradford BID Manager, said: “Once we see things begin to reopen from April 12 , we really need everyone to get out and safely support their local high streets. This initiative will help people to do this safely.”

Bradford Council Townscape Heritage Project Officer, Richard Middleton, said: “Everything that helps the top of town’s businesses cope with lockdown is welcome. We hope that it can help customers to feel safe when returning to all the bars, cafes and shops on North Parade”.

Businesses in Ilkley, Bingley town centre, Bradford City Centre or Keighley or Shipley Towns Fund areas are encouraged to contact Saira Ali (saira.ali@bradford.gov.uk) to discuss how the council can provide pavement extensions in their area.