WEST Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin says she is confident Bradford will be named City of Culture 2025 later this month – saying a successful bid would boost the entire North.

Earlier this week, a panel of judges visited Bradford as part of a tour of all four of the shortlisted areas.

As well as Bradford, County Durham, Southampton and Wrexham have been shortlisted for the title, and an announcement of the winner is expected later this month.

On Tuesday’s tour judges visited the under-construction Bradford Live, Salts Mill, Lister Mills in Manningham and Keighley.

We asked Ms Brabin for her thoughts on Bradford’s chances the day after the judges visit. She believes Bradford’s central location gave it a huge advantage over the other candidates, and said some of her fellow metro mayors had told her they were backing Bradford.

Ms Brabin said: “I’m confident Bradford will get it.

“I can’t see any of the other three candidates having anywhere near the impact across the North that Bradford winning would.

“My fellow Mayors Andy Burnham (Manchester) and Steve Rotherham (Liverpool) have come behind Bradford’s bid.

“The impact of Bradford winning would be transformational and could make the North a magnet for culture the way London is at the moment.”

She said Bradford winning would perfectly tie in with other cultural events in West Yorkshire, including Leeds 2023 and Kirklees Year of Music (also 2023).

Ms England said: “It would bring in a pipeline of talent and could make Bradford a European leader in culture.

“If the Government believes in levelling up, they have to give Bradford City of Culture 2025.”

When asked what specific strengths Bradford had that would set it apart from the other candidates, she pointed out that the ground-breaking Born in Bradford project was taking part in a 10 year study on how access to culture impacts a person’s health and wellbeing.

Thousands of young people in the district are involved in the study.

Ms Brabin said nowhere else could offer this scientific analysis of how a City of Culture title impacts residents’ lives – and this gave Bradford a huge advantage.

Born In Bradford says the findings of its study could be used by cultural groups when they make the case for funding, and provide better understanding of what being named City of Culture could bring and area.

If Bradford is awarded the title it will be the fourth holder, after Derry-Londonderry, Hull and the current City of Culture, Coventry.