Tip reopening, Forde u-turn and bluetongue criticisms
Your roundup of local news across the district of Bradford.
Sugden End tip could be reopened by Christmas
Bradford Council’s leadership is to consider reopening Sugden End Household Waste Recycling Centre at a meeting of the executive in early September by deprioritising investment that was approved in the council’s 2026/27 budget to help fund it.
The tip was originally closed along with two other waste and recycling centres in 2024 (Ford Hill in Queensbury Golden Butts in Ilkley) by the former Labour administration as part of ongoing cost-cutting measures.
Unlike the other two tips, which had been sold, Sugden End has remained under council control. The closure of the tips is thought to have saved Bradford Council around £900,000 a year.
The decision to close all three waste and recycling centres didn’t go down well with members of the public and local politicians at the time, including Robbie Moore, the MP for Keighley and Ilkley, who launched a “save our tips” petition with Conservative councillors.
“It is clear that we have a strong case for reopening this site which would serve residents on the Worth Valley side of Keighley and the surrounding villages which are some distance from Keighley’s existing HWRC at Royd Ings,” said Ian Walker, the portfolio holder for neighbourhoods and communities
“With the current national changes to waste and recycling, this move, as well as extending openings to bank holidays, will increase our recycling rates and give residents more options when wanting to deposit waste.”
Approximately £400,000 that was to go on supporting the delivery of cultural and local heritage events will be redirected to pay for Sugden End’s reinstatement if the vote for it succeeds. If so, it’s expected that it would be open by Christmas.
Rebecca Poulson, The leader of the Conservative group on Bradford Council, welcomed the decision by the executive to consider reopening the tip.
“We have continued to push for Sugden End HWRC to reopen and haven’t given up. I’ve regularly raised this in council meetings, bringing a debate on it in March and again in July,” she said.
Local MP criticises government response to bluetongue virus outbreak
The MP for Keighley and Ilkley has criticised the government response to an outbreak of the bluetongue virus, stating that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has “serious questions to answer”.
Speaking at a farm on Sunday, where he spent the evening vaccinating animals, Robbie Moore asked why the government had seemingly not been more active in “securing, manufacturing and distributing vaccine supplies rather than simply leaving procurement entirely for the private market”?
“Defra must mobilise with all of its might if it is to treat this as an emergency,” he went on to say. “And if they are serious about preventing further financial loss, emotional strain and hardship for our hardworking farming community, for ministers to simply say they are closely monitoring the situation, or to rely on headline-grabbing politics that they have reallocated money from the already reduced Defra budgets to the sustainable farming incentive, is not good enough. They must get a grip of this bluetongue situation fast.”
According to government guidance, the bluetongue virus, which affects animals like sheep, cattle, deer and goats, is spread by biting midges. And while it doesn’t affect humans or food safety, it can nevertheless result in, for example, “trade restrictions”.
Local Somali project picks up national award
A research project delivered by multiple local organisations that explored the history and legacy of Bradford’s Somali community has picked up a national award.
It was awarded the Cultural Knowledge Exchange Project of the Year at the Future Icons of Culture Knowledge Exchange Awards.
The partnership between the charity the Somali Village, the University of Bradford, the University of Leeds, Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and Bradford District Museums and Galleries had explored the “experiences of a small Somali community that came to Bradford as part of the 1904 Great Exhibition.
The group, which was made up of 57 Muslim men, women and children, lived and worked in Lister Park, Bradford Council explained.
“We are delighted to see the Somali Village project receive this well-deserved national recognition,” said Ian Walker, executive member for neighbourhoods and communities at Bradford Council.
"Through innovative research, community collaboration and a powerful exhibition at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, the project has highlighted an important part of Bradford's history. This award is a testament to the commitment and creativity of all the partners involved."
The Somali Village was founded as a charity in 2025. Its mission is to “advance research, education, heritage, and artistic and cultural outputs relating to the history of the Somali diaspora in Britain and elsewhere, from the nineteenth century to the present day”.
Forde victorious in outdoor seating area disagreement
Forde’s outdoor seating area in Ilkley, which was set to be removed following a single complaint, is set to remain following public outcry over the controversial decision.
The business said that following its announcement earlier this month that it was contemplating leaving the town and more specifically the Moors Shopping Centre, Bradford Council reconsidered its decision to rip out the extended seating area.
Forde thanked the countless people who “shouted words of encouragement, support and love”, saying that they had been blown away by the response of the public.
“You inboxed us with technical and legal advice, came into the restaurant to cheer us on in person and shake our hands, tagged MP’s, caught the attention of the papers and radio and started hashtags to keep the support loud on social media, to name but a few things” they said on Facebook.
“We will never ever be able to thank you sufficiently for all of your support, in all of its forms, but we CAN tell you that it worked!!!! You shouted so loud for us that the Council heard us!!! We have been allowed to keep the seating area😍!”
Forde opened up its Ilkley branch in November 2024. The main restaurant was established in Horsforth in 2021 by Matt Healy of MasterChef: The Professionals fame.
New sales and events manager on revamping Bistrot Pierre and The Crescent Inn in Ilkley
The Bistrot Pierre and The Crescent Inn in Ilkley are to undergo a significant rebrand and transformation following the hire of a new sales and events manager over the next year
Ben Nayler, who has over a decade’s worth of experience in hospitality, said that he is keen to “shift local perceptions and bring a vibrant energy back to both spaces”.
“Located right in the centre of Ilkley, plans are in place to position these incredible venues as the heartbeat of the community,” Nayler said.
“The Bistrot Pierre and The Crescent Inn are evolving to become a greater contributor, with accessible events that bring together the best of Ilkley playing a key role.”
Some of the key developments that both locals and visitors can expect include the introduction of “community-centric experiences” and a “unified hospitality” push that will bridge the “premium dining experience of Bistrot Pierre and the historic, welcoming pub atmosphere of The Crescent Inn”.
The Bistrot Pierre and The Crescent Inn have been a fixture in Ilkley since 2011. The Grade II-listed building, which dates back to 1860, had been empty since 2009 when what was then known as the Crescent Hotel closed “abruptly” as local news providers reported at the time.
Also in The Journal: we went on a journey to discover more about councillor Stephen Place, Bradford Council’s new leader:
For a while, Stephen Place was content with sharing his two cents on social media. He had no qualms about what he posted. This was who he was, what he thought and how he saw the world. Not that it mattered (basic civility notwithstanding). He wasn’t worth paying attention to. He didn’t have anything interesting to say. He was just another unremarkable and predictable voice on the online right drowned out by the feverish clamour of a “virtually lawless public square” overflowing with people clamouring to be heard and seen in an AI-powered “golden age of stupidity”.
Here's what we found out.
