World Mile

There's no doubt about it - the World Mile represents a great opportunity for investment in a regeneration location set for steady growth over the coming months and years.

A major collaboration between public and private sectors, this project has positive implications for your bottom line as well as the added kudos of involvement in a community-focused initiative.

Vision

A vibrant cultural heritage has for a long time provided an important opportunity for Bradford City Centre and tourism in the district. The hub of South Asian boutiques at White Abbey Road has already begun to make the World Mile a successful northern centre for Asian retail.

What the World Mile project seeks to do is to extend this cultural retailing to include more of Bradford's communities to create a truly ‘international' World Mile. Already there are Polish English, Irish, Afro Caribbean, Russian and European shops, stalls, bars and restaurants to discover in addition to the thriving South Asian offer.

The Vision is to develop the World Mile as a vibrant and distinctive retail and cultural destination in the city centre that attracts increasing numbers of visitors from the UK and abroad.

Vibrant, exciting and culturally unique, the World Mile is Bradford at its best

Like all the best ideas, the World Mile is simple. Beginning in Bradford's city centre, the Mile will continue to develop as a truly international collection of shops, galleries, cafes, restaurants and market offer. Together, these independent businesses will mirror the cultural diversity of a city boasting more than 60 spoken languages.

Already attracting visitors of all ages from the UK and abroad, the World Mile will showcase the dynamic community that already exists in the city. Safe, accessible and attractively presented, this eclectic mix of businesses will create a commercial and cultural quarter of European standing, unique to the region.

Great accessibility, real commercial potential and positive community spirit make the World Mile's location perfect.

What the initiative will do is encourage, support and oversee investment into the area, as well as implementing key development and marketing initiatives designed to improve the community's physical environment and really help put it on the map. By working closely with its partners, the World Mile team will nurture and coordinate the organic growth of local businesses and simultaneously create a visitor attraction that's set to be one of the jewels in Yorkshire's crown.

For information about investing in Bradford visit www.investinbradford.com or call 01274 437727.

To discover more click on the points below.

1. Benefits
2. Opportunities
3. Delivery is already happening
4. Investment Support

Benefits

• Thanks to its catchment area, great accessibility and the support of dedicated marketing activity, the World Mile is set to be very big business for Bradford. As an investor, you'll be joining the large number of companies who've already chosen to invest in the UK's fastest growing major city. Close collaboration between the public and private sectors at a local, regional and national level has helped secure investment totalling £1billion over the last 5 years– all part of an ambitious regeneration initiative that's already transforming the city.
• And there's another compelling reason to invest. Involvement in the World Mile will have some major implications for your brand – in a good way. Destined to be one of the North's major visitor attractions, and one that celebrates diversity with a refreshingly different yet authentic retail experience, being a part of the World Mile won't just extend your market and boost profitability, it will help to make public perceptions of your brand highly positive ones. Exciting, modern, vibrant, cultural, independent, inclusive, forward-thinking and innovative – these are the characteristics of the World Mile, and these are the qualities likely to be attributed to businesses associated with it.
• By choosing to invest in the World Mile you will be coming part of a unique retailing and cultural destination in the region. It also provides a great opportunity to be branded and marketed as part of a vibrant business community in a regeneration area being actively promoted and supported by both public sector partners and the only Traders Association active in the city centre

Opportunities

• Move fast, because retail opportunities like this don't hang around for long.
• Although some of the World Mile's retail space is already occupied by successful businesses, there are great opportunities for those new or established businesses considering a move to the area. We're also looking for investors and developers who might be interested in a variety of commercially attractive development opportunities. Those interested in commercial opportunities will enjoy access to expert help with many of the issues surrounding business development.
• The links included here provide more details of specific retail, property and development opportunities open to individuals and businesses alike.
• There is a wide range of premises available on the World Mile particularly at the city end. For more specific details of retail, property and development opportunities open to individuals and businesses alike and details of vacant to let and for sale premises, and a schedule of Agents please visit the Shop Property website.

Delivery is already happening

• The project is being directed by a public/ private sector steering group. Plans are being prepared for key public sector sites and the first phases of a public realm strategy are already on site and due to be completed on site by March 2010.
• In addition the Traders Association meets on a monthly basis, and free business advice and support will be available to any existing or new business that chooses to set up on the Mile.
• Community arts projects are under way and the first in a series of planned events, the World Mile Festival is due to take place during September.

Investment Support

• Invest in Bradford is the resource for indigenous and inward investors within the Bradford district. They provide advice, free of charge, to companies on a raft of issues associated with their investment projects. This includes advice on the availability of sites and premises, potential financial assistance, the recruitment, retention and training of staff, senior management relocation support and market data on the companies and markets within the Bradford district and wider region.
• They utilise a strong partnership that includes Bradford Centre Regeneration, Yorkshire Forward, Bradford Chamber, Job Centre Plus, the Airedale Partnership and private sector businesses to leverage the assistance required.
• They deal with various national and international companies as well as many local large and medium sized businesses on a range of sensitive issues. As such they operate under strict confidentiality on your behalf on a range of activities from possible staffing issues to potential relocation to the area.
• For further information visit www.investinbradford.com or call 01274 437727

And finally a few words from Saleem Kader, MD of Bombay Stores and Suits Me on the World Mile:

"As a retailer who already has premises on the World Mile, I've bought into the idea and I’m not the only one.

The World Mile is about building on Bradford's strengths, it is about the organic growth of what is already in the city – a cosmopolitan culture, an entrepreneurial spirit and a history as a centre of retail and commerce.

It's about working together, both the public and private sector, in order to deliver something for the city. It is about partnership."