WhatfettleBradford University

University-of-Bradford.jpg

For reasons which are not totally clear to me now, i went to Bradford University. They say you should never go back, we'll this Saturday Jon, Trev and i returned after more than 20 years, for a weekend of memories, beer and curry.

Richmond Building looks much the same:

Richmond Building

as does Daleys Bookshop:

Daleys Bookshop

Q Block, where i lived as a "fresher":

Q Block

This chippy only opened on a weekday lunchtime, so we were amazed to see it still going:

Fish And Chips

They filled in the stairs down into the Computer Centre under the J.B. Priestley library, i somehow doubt they still have the CDC Cyber with async terminals down there:

J B Priestley Library

Phoenix.jpg

The Kismet is now "OK's" .. nice curry, but what's the world coming to when you have to ask for chapattis and a side-salad?

Kismit OK

Great Horton Road has been revamped as the new "West End":

New Road Layout

The Alhambra theatre was renovated soon after we graduated:

Alhambra Sign

Alhambra

But the Odeon needs some attention, not least from Ground Force on the roof:

Bradford Odeon Tower

One of my best cinema experiences was seeing Gandhi here with a packed, mainly Asian audience:

Bradford Odeon

The corn exchange is now a bookshop with a Starbucks (boo!) on the top floor:

Corn Exchange

Corn Exchange Bookshop

I ate here once when it was a thriving curry house. ISTR ordering a prawn curry and being served soup with lumps of cheese in it. Halfway through the meal the next table 'did a runner' only to be chased down the road by waiters brandishing hockey sticks! I guess it being opposite the mortuary wasn't that great for business, so RIP, Paradise!

Paradise

The Shearbridge! How can a pub opposite a university halls of residence go bust?

Shearbridge Pub

Or the slummy Pickwicks go so far down hill?

Pickwicks

The excellent Fighting Cock real ale pub was still going great guns though:

Fighting Cocks

Great to see the political graffiti is still going strong:

Fight The Rich Not Their Wars

No trip to Bradford is complete without a trip to the supermarket:

Al Halal

Groovy virtual tours of the university:
http://www.bradford.ac.uk/external/geninfo/tours.php