Things to Do in Bradford

By Ben Maples · Nov 30th 2021

Bradford is one of the gems of West Yorkshire, and is one of the most popular university cities in the UK for students to study in.

Here, we will show you all the things to do in Bradford.

Location

One of the largest areas in the UK, Bradford has a rough population of 528,155 according to the most recent figures. Located in West Yorkshire, Bradford has had a fair amount of foot traffic over the years and remains one of the most popular places in the UK.

Things to do in Bradford

Trash Bradford is one of the premier nightclubs in Bradford, which holds Fresher’s Raves. A particular anomaly within the nightclub sphere is Flares & Reflex, which offers all drinks at £2.00! A particularly generous offer and one that will almost certainly have you wanting to go back, especially if you want to budget for the year and alcohol is still a high priority. City Vaults is another place to visit when in Bradford. The pub has a number of games, serves food and shows a lot of live sport too.

Bradford has a handful of museums available to the public with Cartwright Hall, Bradford Industrial Museum, Manor House Museum, Bolling Hall Museum and the National Media Museum all accessible to the public and students alike!

There is the Bradford Festival which is a well-known area for people that are looking to see what the city of Bradford is all about, featuring parades and more! Various film festivals are held in Bradford as well including the Golden Years Film Festivals which is held annually and something to check out for film buffs or those studying a Film Studies degree!

Speaking of films, Bradford is home to numerous cinemas too if you’re looking to have a chilled night out watching a film, everything from the local Odeon all the way through to the tiered seating of the Cineworld.

For students interested in studying a food science degree will probably love this next event…the World Curry Festival! Bringing all the flavours from around the world to one place and is held annually, lovely!

Transport

There are several transport routes in and out of the city, mainly through the various A-Roads and motorways. The city’s train station opened in 1846 and connects around the UK, with particular emphasis being given to Manchester and Leeds.

The city did run it’s own tram system until 1972, although the city now has a number of bus routes in its place. The city has the Leeds Bradford Airport, which is six miles to the North East of the city.

Universities in the City

There is only one university in the city of Bradford, which is the University of Bradford.

The university was established in 1832, when it was the Mechanic’s Institute, although it eventually became a university in 1966, when it received university status.

The university became the first British university to establish a Department of Peace Studies in 1973. The university is currently the largest centre for peace and conflict studies in the world.

The university has been well funded over the years in terms of development and has allowed the university to invest in the development of their students with new equipment and facilities, which led to the university winning the Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development award from Times Higher Education, two years running.

The university’s student body is represented by the University of Bradford’s Student Union (UBU) and all students are automatically enrolled, with the union itself being located in the Student Central building.

The union represents a number of sport’s clubs and societies, such as the Athletic’s Union (AU), although students are of course free to set up their own clubs and societies as they deem fit.

The university has its own radio station, called Ramair, which is one of the longest running student radio stations in the UK. There is also the Bradford Student Cinema, which allows people to see recent films for free!

History and Culture

The city has stood for many years, but it was laid waste after an uprising in 1070 during the Harrying of the North by William the Conqueror.

Bradford became a small town by the middle ages, especially by 1316, where it was a major agricultural town.

The city became a market town in 1801 with around 6,330 people living in the town and the city grew to around 34,000 in 1841.

The city was also home to The Bradford Pals, a Pals battalion of the Kitchener's Army, there were three regiments, and were integral to the war effort, especially on the front lines in World War I.

In June 2009, the city was given the distinction of becoming the world’s first UNESCO City of Film and is now part of the Creative Cities Network, as the city has a long standing tradition of creative important films in the city, as well as a number of important technological advances in the city, including the invention of the Cieroscope.

Sport

Bradford has a massive sporting culture, mainly represented through the city’s Rugby League team, the Bradford Bulls. The Bulls are one of the most successful teams in the world, having won three World Club Championships since 2002 and have won the Rugby Football League Championship seven times.

Bradford City Football Club is the city’s main football team, having been formed in 1903, they are also the city’s oldest. The club won the FA Cup in 1911 and currently play in League One, There is also Bradford Park Avenue, who play in the National League North, meaning a distinct lack in the Bradford derby, as the two clubs play in different leagues.