GATHERINGS will take place across Bradford today in places of worship, pubs and community spaces as our district marks one of the most significant moments in British history.
Queen's funeral: Live updates as Bradford bids farewell to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Others will pay their respects more privately, perhaps shedding a tear in the comfort of their own homes as the funeral of The Queen takes place.
The nation has been divided on what should or should not be open on this emergency bank holiday which was decreed by King Charles III during a historic Accession Ceremony last week.
Bradford will come together this morning and into the afternoon to pay its respects to the late monarch who 10 days ago passed away at the age of 96.
The service at Westminster Abbey will take place at 11am and a national two-minute silence will follow the Last Post being sounded at 11.55am.
Many supermarkets, shops and entertainment venues will close but there are some places that have opted to show a live broadcast of the funeral across Bradford.
One of these is Q Gardens, where bossed feel it is only right that the bar does "something special" to commemorate the record reign of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
The Odsal bar will be holding a two minutes silence and selling pints at 6p between 2.22 and 2.44pm in memory of Her Majesty.
Q Gardens co-manager and long-time royalist Sean Lowe said: "We needed to do something special for the Queen.
"My family have always been massive supporters of the royals, particularly my grandma.
"It has just been passed down the generations. I really loved the Queen and what she did for this country.
"It was like let's stay open and pay our respects in a way where everyone can get together for this historic moment.
"A lot of the customers who don't really talk have been in conversation with others about it in recent days. It has really brought a community feel.
"The talk amongst local pub-goers is where should we watch it, the Park Inn or Q Gardens."
On the reason for the deal, he added: "I was told that when the Queen's Coronation happened it was about 6p a pint.
"Although it is going to cost the business money, it is our way of honouring her memory and all the work she did for the country."
Another popular bar open today is The Potting Shed in Bingley.
Sean Kirkley, General Manager, said: "I'm always in on a Monday morning anyway, so there is no reason for us not to open for the duration.
"It is not about making money. People don't even have to buy a drink, they can come with their water and watch it.
"A lot of people live alone, so it's nice to bring them together.
"Some people may not have a TV licence, so it is a chance for them to watch it.
"The decision must be that we are open."
Keighley brewery Timothy Taylor has announced which of its pubs will be open in the district too.
It's business as usual for the Brown Cow (Bingley), Taylor's on the Green (Keighley), Albert Hotel (Keighley), Royal Oak (Keighley), The Devonshire (Grassington) and Woolly Sheep Inn (Skipton).
While The Fleece Inn (Haworth) Boltmakers Arms (Keighley) Dog & Gun (Oxenhope) and New Inn (Cononley) will reopen once the funeral is finished.
A spokesperson from the brewery said: "Everyone at Timothy Taylor's shares the sadness of the nation following the death of Her Majesty The Queen, and we send our heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family.
"Each of the 19 pubs in our estate will respect the funeral how they believe best."
For those wishing to come together to watch the funeral service for Her Majesty the Queen, the big screen in Centenary Square will be showing coverage.
It will also be shown live on a big screen at Bradford Cathedral.
Capacity at the cathedral is 300 so arrive promptly. The cathedral will be open from 10am to 4pm.
The likes of Aldi, Lidl, and Morrisons are closed for the entire day and food chains including Greggs and McDonald's are closing their doors for reduced hours.
However, some stores and businesses will remain open for the day as owners were given the option to close or open during the national bank holiday.
Asda, Tesco Express and Sainsbury's local will open after the funeral at 5pm.
This will also be the case for The Turls Green Wetherspoons in the city centre.
Pub chain Greene King has said venues with TVs will open, as usual, this includes The Crown in Great Horton, but others will open later in the day.
Cinemas including Odeon, Cineworld and Showcase have said they will all be closed for the day, while Vue Cinemas will remain open but will not be showing films and instead broadcasting the funeral at selected sites.
PureGym, which has two locations in Bradford, Idle and Thornbury, will be closed from 10am until 2pm.
If you are want to keep up to date with the Queen’s funeral at home, the T&A website will be running live updates including lots of Bradford reaction, while coverage begins on BBC One and BBC News at 8am.
It will also be shown on Sky News and can be watched on TV and via its YouTube Channels.
- Tuesday's T&A will be a special commemorative edition with many pages of coverage of the funeral, including local insights from our reporter Natasha Meek, who is in London, and reporters at Bradford Cathedral, Bradford City Park and other locations.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel