Bid to revamp former cinema passes test as rival group rejected

Bradford Live, fronted by local businessman Lee Craven, is now the only group still in the council’s bidding process.

Mr Craven wants to create a music centre with a 4,000 capacity and must now outline how much the project will cost and where the money will come from.

A rival bid from community organisation Bradford One has been rejected by the council.

A final decision on Mr Craven’s bid will be made in November by the council’s Executive committee.

Bradford Council leader, Councillor David Green, said: “Bradford Live will now need to clarify all the total costs involved and demonstrate they can secure the necessary funding.

“We will make a final decision on their more detailed proposal at the executive meeting in November.

“We remain hopeful that the former Odeon building has a viable future in Bradford’s city centre.” A spokeswoman for Bradford Live said: “The next stage is to get back into the Odeon building and allow our technical team to prepare the plans required for stage three.

“We also need to firm up the capital costs and funding mechanisms. We still have a lot of work ahead and the Odeon is not safe yet; but we hope to be able meet the Council’s stage three criteria and turn our vision into reality.”

She thanked rival bidder Bradford One, adding: “We hope to be able to speak with Bradford One to discuss areas in which some form of future co-operation is possible.”