An economic survey of Bradford for 1997 shows some promising signs for the district's future. Jim Greenhalf reports.

Bradford's older industries are giving way to the new ones especially hi-tech electronics and communications.

Although textiles employ the most people in manufacturing, its future prospects are clouded by the strength of the pound on foreign exchanges, interest rates, and cheap foreign imports.

But as the sun sets on the Wool Capital of the world, it waits to rise on Bradford as Electronics City. Electronics is set to boom, as long as the city is able to provide the right kind of training and education for people of all ages.

Broadly, employment prospects have shown an improvement on former years. In 1995 there were 176,513 people employed in the Bradford District, with the majority in full-time work. Part-timers had fallen by 2.3 per cent to 48,840 two years ago.

The 67-page Economic Profile, jointly published by Bradford Council and Bradford's Training and Enterprise Council, notes the boom in employment in the fields of Information Technology (IT) and electronics, finance, call centres, tourism and culture, and environmental technology (ET).

l ET - manufacturers of energy-saving products and systems, environmental consultants and a host of others - was not a significant factor in the economy five years ago. But by 1995 up to 54 firms were employing 5,774 people

l Telephone-based services - call centres - were virtually non-existent in Bradford in 1993. But again, by 1995 some 3,500 people were working in them, a figure which is forecast to at least double in the next four years

l IT and electronics - firms such as Filtronic plc, Pace Micro Technology, Advanced Digital Communications - between them now employ more than 3,000. The prospects of this sector are forecast as "excellent"

l More than 11,500 people now work in the financial and professional services sector, which since 1991 has grown at the rate of 15 per cent

l Growth prospects for tourism and culture are predicted to be "good". Bradford currently annually attracts an estimated six million visitors who spend more than £60m. This sector now employs 13,000 or more

As to textiles and chemicals, the report states: "The manufacture of chemicals was the most productive sector in the District in 1995, with the highest levels of gross output, net output and gross value added per head. The textiles sector was the largest manufacturing sector."

But in the past 12 months the collapse of many of the 'Tiger Economies' of the Far East and the strength of the pound on foreign exchanges will have had an adverse effect on exports of chemical and textile products, which remain vulnerable to cheap imports.

The economic profile for 1998, to be published next year, will make the picture clearer. In addition the next report should provide information on the success or failure of Government economic strategies such as the New Deal for the young unemployed as well as measures for the extra child-care and for lone parents.

Bradford's workforce is expected to grow by 10,800 up to the year 2011. But the workforce overall will have a greater percentage of people in the 45-to-retirement age bracket. This section is expected to grow by 16,500 or 26 per cent. Thirteen years from now a third of Bradford's workforce of about 190,000 is expected to be 45-plus.

Every working day 33,000 or more people commute out of Bradford Metropolitan District to other parts of Yorkshire and beyond. But nearly 35,000 travel into Bradford from other parts.

These figures, taken from the 1991 census, have undoubtedly altered in the past seven years. However, both have rocketed beyond the 20,000 mark of 1971.

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