EXCITEMENT is building as the grand opening of Bradford city centre’s latest regeneration project rapidly approaches.
Darley Street Market is due to open with a celebration weekend on Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13.
The £30.9 million project has encountered various delays since plans got the go-ahead in 2019 but we’re now less than two weeks away from the culmination of years of work.
Part of the freshening up of this area of the city centre has included the closure of the neighbouring Kirkgate Market, and the Oastler Shopping Centre.
It was an emotional day for both shoppers and stallholders on Saturday – the final day of trade and the end of an era for the long-standing markets.
Some of the traders will make the move to Darley Street Market, which will feature two floors of market stalls and a third-floor food court.
Darley Street Kitchen will open later into the evening and will have space for hundreds of people, as well as a stage area and outdoor seating space overlooking the new city square.
Bradford-born craft brewing titans Northern Monk has taken on the bar and the company shared a post on its Instagram page two weeks ago of its progress.
Bradford Council has now released a video on its Instagram page, to advertise the official opening weekend of the new venue.
The montage of clips gives a quick glimpse of what Darley Street Market looks like inside – including the food hall, escalators covered in wrapping ready for the big day and a mural dedicated to Bradford artist David Hockney.
The post mentioned a number of events that will be taking place across the celebratory weekend.View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Bradford Council (@bradfordmdc)
This includes culinary masterclasses from Imogen Tilt, head chef at The Hawthorne in Haworth, and Master Chef UK 2023 Quarter Finalist, Owen Diaram, as well as cooking demonstrations with chefs from the new Darley Street Kitchen.
There will also be talks and Q&As with Rate My Takeaway star Danny Malin and his wife, Sophie Mei Lan.
Activities are being put on for children as well, including Aardman creative workshops and a film screening, creative play for under-fives, face painting, henna and Playful Anywhere will be transforming the street into a joyful, food-themed playground.
This will be accompanied by live music from buskers, DJs, singers and bands throughout the weekend, while the Wimbledon tennis singles finals will be on the big screen in the outside square.
