As one of the thousands braving the freezing cold to watch the brilliant launch event for the city of culture, I support Lanre Bakare’s celebration of Bradford’s radical history (We don’t have the swagger of Manchester or the sheen of Leeds, but Bradford has a radical culture all its own, 14 January). Mention should also be made of the 1 in 12 club that has provided gigs for local bands and meeting spaces since the 1980s, and the Bradford Resource Centre, a central base of support for trade unions and community and voluntary groups for more than 30 years until Tory cuts led to its closure.
But many of the claims for economic benefits should be treated with caution. The competitive bidding for city of culture cost participating local authorities millions of pounds, and potentially millions more will be allocated to external consultants. An economic evaluation contract has already been given to a firm based in Liverpool.
