THE festive season will kick off with a bang this Saturday when the Bradford BID stages its city centre firework display.

The event drew a crowd of more than 10,000 people last year to what was dubbed Bradford’s biggest firework display in living memory.

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Bradford Business Improvement District (BID) – the limited company funded by more than 600 levy-paying businesses and organisations to help promote and develop the city centre – is organising the massive show at 7pm on November 12 to follow the switching on of Bradford’s Christmas lights and to coincide with the start of the festive shopping and leisure season.

What will the display include and how long will it last?

The professionally-organised and delivered display will be accompanied by music and should be visible across the city from within the Ring Road, with some rockets reaching up to 850ft high.

This year’s event will be limited to 12 minutes and will be completely different to last year’s display.

Chris Verheyden, artistic director of Frontier Fireworks, which is staging the display, said: “After the glittering success of last year’s fireworks display, our team are back to perform a completely different and spectacular show from a new location.

 “Expect to be wowed once again as Frontier Fireworks put the stars back over Bradford with sequences of mixed dahlia starflowers, silver and white strobes to represent Christmas over the city, crossette stars that dart and cross each other and so much more.

“Firing up to 850ft high we are going to race through exciting sequences including special rings and shapes and our massively popular Double Dragon Eggs shells that have taken the country by storm since we designed and imported them into the UK.

“Just wait until you see the finale that we will blast into the night sky for you all to enjoy. Thousands of stars are about to erupt over Bradford city so come out and see this amazing spectacle.”

Which roads will be closed and where's the best place to view the display?

There will be fewer road closures this year because the NCP car park on Hall Ings – last year’s launch platform – is now closed ahead of its demolition so the display will be activated from a different site.

The Bradford BID says the best place to view it will again be from the Mirror Pool in City Park.

The following roads will be closed from 6.30pm until 7.30pm (but they will be lifted earlier if the event safety officer allows): Bridge Street, immediately after the taxi and pick up entrance up to Croft Street, to maintain access to the Interchange Rank; and Vicar Lane, from Ebenezer Street junction up to Croft Street, allowing full access and egress to and from The Leisure Exchange Car Park. 

In addition there will be stewards marshalling the crossings at the end of Tyrell Street, Market Street and Broadway to assist with people using the pedestrian crossing lights into City Park. 

Organisers say the display brings in 'huge footfall'

BID manager Jonny Noble said: “We announced the event back in September so that everyone would know it is happening and anyone who is particularly sensitive to such events, or worries about their pets, had lots of time to plan ahead and make sure they take precautions.

“We’re in contact with the local branch of the RSPCA and they have information available on their website with guidance on how to ensure your animals are safe from any loud noises which, of course, also applies to any local neighbourhood bonfires at this time of year.

“We can’t realistically create a noiseless display – the whizz-bang of fireworks is all part of the fun and the tradition of a display of this type.  The show lasts 12 minutes and brings an enormous amount of joy to a large number of people, early on a dark Saturday evening so that thousands of children can enjoy it too.”

BID chairman Ian Ward added: “Our first fireworks event last year was absolutely stunning and the fact that between 10,000 and 12,000 people came out to watch the display was simply brilliant!”

“The pleasure on people’s faces at last year’s display – and the amazing positive feedback we received afterwards – showed just how much the vast majority of local people want it to happen on an annual basis.”

He said the event was also good for local businesses, bringing in huge footfall to the city centre and helping to provide much-needed income.