Museum Future Assured

The future of the bantamspast museum is assured following talks with our new landlords Wayne Jacobs' charity One in a Million. As many will know Leeds Metropolitan University leased the space above the club shop over the last three years, that deal lapsed after the last game of the season. Into the breach stepped the One in a Million charity. Wayne Jacobs' charity who have signed a five year deal. They are very supportive of the work of supporters' groups such as bantamspast, The City Gent and the Bradford City Supporters' Trust. The museum and café will remain available to supporters on matchdays.

Over the next twelve months a permanent wall will be built where the red partition currently stands and the wall will be available for museum use. There is a long term plan to remove the escalators and build a dedicated entrance, but for the time being it will be business as usual on matchdays. The museum is in need of a revamp and the charity are looking forward to helping the museum volunteers in achieving that aim. There will be a meeting with interested parties in June.

The charity do require the former museum store room to be cleared out and volunteers will be undertaking this task on Wednesday from around 10.30am. As usual we welcome any help however modest. Supporters can join David Pendleton at the museum, willing hands are all that is required.

11 May 2010

bantamspast's David Pendleton has attended many of the events commemorating the 25th anniversary of the tragic fire which left 56 people dead and many more injured. You can see some of his pictures from the day here.

BBC marks May 11 1985 - an update

As reported previously, the BBC's Football Focus presented their programme from Valley Parade prior to the final home game of the season, in order to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the fire tragedy. Since then, Dan Walker has written a personal view of the broadcast in his blog, including extracts from the programme itself.

11 May 1985

Twenty five years on from the fire Bradford will once again pause to remember its darkest day in modern times. The Archbishop of York will lead the service in Centenary Square at 11am. Given the significance of the anniversary a stage has been erected so the expected large crowds can view the event. We understand that this year admission to City Hall will be by invitation only.

At 2.50pm the Lord Mayor of Bradford, and his counterpart from Hamm, will rededicate Hamm Strasse and unveil a new marker stone at its junction with Manningham Lane. The road was named after the German town in recognition of the support the people of Hamm gave to Bradford in its hour of need. Hamm of course donated the memorial in Centenary Square.

Valley Parade will be open from 3pm so people can be in the ground at the actual time of the fire. In the evening Bradford Cathedral is holding a service of remembrance which commences at 7.30pm.

picture by Carl Bromwich

BBC marks May 11 1985

As many of you will know, the BBC's flagship football preview programme, Football Focus, was broadcast live from Valley Parade yesterday, May 1st. Stuart McCall, Terry Yorath, John Hendrie, John Helm, City Gent editor Mike Harrison, former T&A reporter David Markham, Gabby Logan and many more appeared in a moving tribute to those who perished in the Bradford Fire.

Gabby Logan also described her memories of the day on Radio 4's Archive Hour.