Directors of TV and hi-fi store Christopher Pratts know that their future, like their past, lies firmly in Bradford city centre.

The company, which has been operating in Bradford for more than 150 years, has recently invested thousands of pounds in renovation work, now completed to the exterior of its premises along North Parade and Northgate - parts of which date back 155 years.

The works include restoring original stone facia, columns and timber features as well as introducing attractive leaded windows.

Supported by a £30,000 Conservation Area Partnership grant from Bradford Council and English Heritage, the scheme on the outside of the store follows a phased £500,000 redevelopment and expansion of the inside of the shop, which included structural work, new roofing, redecoration work and recarpeting of the entire retail floor space.

Store director Howard Sudall said the project had created a more attractive store, which he hoped would act as a catalyst for the revitalisation of the historic North Parade area of the city centre, encouraging more people to "shop local".

Mr Sudall said: "As one of the longest established retailers in Bradford, we are firmly committed to developing our retail offer and brand.

"The three-year expansion project has created a roomier store which, I hope, will provide a catalyst for the revitalisation of the historic North Parade area.

"Bradford's got a lot to offer in terms of quality shopping. As far as we're concerned, we've got something fairly unique to offer within Bradford and the surrounding area.

"We're home furnishers rather than a department store - we have the best goods from around the world and are known for our quality.

"We get customers coming to us from areas such as Harrogate and Leeds as well as Bradford. It would be good to encourage more people to shop locally and support us - it's good to try and support local businesses."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.