Opening date for Darley Street Market confirmed

Darley Street Market will open on Saturday 12 July, six years after plans were first approved by Bradford Council.

The market will host events across the inaugural weekend, on both 12 & 13 July, to mark the opening, according to the council.

Inside, there are three floors, with the top floor dedicated to a food court, the middle floor being home to shops selling meat, fruit and vegetables, and the ground floor selling clothes, jewellery, perfumes and cosmetics.

There will also be a café and deli - with outdoor seating - in the market square, with the infrastructure to host events, including film festivals, on a dedicated large screen.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council, described the market as "a key part of our regeneration strategy".

She added: The building itself is a purpose-built, high-spec space, with a focus on fresh food and a food court.

"It also includes an events space which will allow food, culture, and social experiences to bring people together in a vibrant place for all to enjoy.

"We're confident it will draw people to it as a major destination for Bradford," she added.

The food court will include restaurants serving food from Mexico, Greece, Sri Lanka, Japan, Thailand, Syria and Italy.

Bradford Council said it would be announcing details of the traders, starting with those in the food court, shortly.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council's executive member for regeneration, planning and transport, said: "Darley Street Market has always been significantly more than a simple like-for-like replacement of the markets it's replacing.

"It helps modernise our retail offer, but it also reshapes the city centre with a new market square.

"This project is creating spaces for people to shop, meet and socialise, but also providing new cultural opportunities with events, film festivals and live music all a possibility."

The market, which replaces the old Oastler and Kirkgate markets, has been the subject of some criticism, with Bradford Council rebuked over the rising costs of construction, which had risen to £31m by February.

However, the council maintains the market will contribute to Bradford's growth - including the City Village project, which aims to deliver 1,000 "quality homes" in the city centre.

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