Former members' club to become grassroots music hub

A building in Bradford that formerly housed a prestigious private members' club is set to become a music venue.

Former members of The Bradford Club in Piece Hall Yard include manufacturer Sir Titus Salt and supermarket boss Sir Ken Morrison, with the club closing last year.

Tiffin, which operates a number of venues in the city as well as a food manufacturing business, plans to turn the Grade II listed building into a live venue, bar and rehearsal space.

Richard Cullen, of Tiffin Venue Management, said: "It's got such a rich history of people who have been into this building. We want to make sure the public can see it and feel it the same way we do."

Plans to convert the building began when a Tiffin employee, who is also a musician with a local band, lost his regular rehearsal space and asked to use the empty rooms.

"It's a quirky building for them to sit and practise in, and they've got the run of it at the moment," said Cullen, Tiffin director of sales and marketing.

A former club snooker room will become a gig space holding 100-150 people, with the remaining rooms used as recording studios, rehearsal areas, a music shop and a bar.

"Bradford has been an incredible place for the music industry for many years and we just want to give that back," said Cullen.

The company owns and manages neighbouring pub The City Vaults and became aware of the sale of the building as it had previously purchased some space from the club to extend its dining area.

"We had a good relationship with The Bradford Club," Cullen said.

"They said they were under a bit of a struggle and looking to sell, so we said, 'well we can't let this go to anyone else' and we took it on."

The building will house the Impressions Gallery for the next 18 months while plans progress for the music venue.

The photography gallery moved from York to Bradford in 2005 and had a record number of visitors during Bradford's year as UK City of Culture.

"It's about giving back to the grassroots," said Cullen.

"Obviously, we will try and make this work and give back to the community as much as we can."

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