Telegraph & Argus readers have been debating how safe Bradford city centre really feels - after a Reform councillor said she is now too afraid to walk through it alone.
Hundreds of comments were made after Councillor Sally Birch told Bradford’s Wellbeing Board that, while she used to visit the city centre alone without thinking twice, she now prefers to go with someone else.
Her comments prompted a wide range of responses from T&A readers, with many saying they regularly walk through Bradford without feeling frightened.
Kate Angliss said she works in Bradford and regularly goes out in the city, adding that she finds it 'no worse than most cities'.
Charlotte Rose Siddle said she had 'never felt scared walking through Bradford', although she acknowledged feeling apprehensive in any city.
Chf Supt Richard Padwell (left) and Councillor Sally Birch (right) have disagreed on the issue of city centre crime (Image: T&A)
The reader, who described herself as a transgender woman, added that she is 'constantly aware' of people around her and how they might react.
'If anything, I feel safer in this, my hometown,' she said.
Others similarly pointed to their regular experiences of using the city centre.
Eryl Ward said she regularly catches a bus into Bradford in the evening, walks from the station to one of the city’s theatres and then back again, while feeling 'perfectly safe'.
She added that she felt particularly positive about the recent development of the city centre.
Another reader, Eileen Filao Wilson, said that despite being an older woman, she regularly gets off the train at Forster Square and walks through the centre.
'Never once felt intimidated,' she said.
Joe Wheatley, a Bradford councillor, also joined the discussion, saying he had never felt scared walking through the city centre.
He said he had regularly walked through Bradford as a student at Bradford College and the University of Bradford, and still does so as a councillor attending meetings at City Hall.
Bradford city centre (Image: T&A)
Other readers struck a more cautious note.
Shona Grange said she was not scared to walk through the centre, but felt less comfortable on the roads after dark.
Emma Hallett said she was happy to walk around the Broadway and Light Cinema area alone, but did not feel comfortable going much further by herself.
She said she preferred visiting Brighouse, Halifax and Leeds.
June Elvidge similarly said she was not scared, but was 'wary' and tended to visit the city centre only when necessary.
'I just go into town when I have to, and it’s basically in and out,' she said.
For some readers, their views were shaped by previous experiences.
Lots of people enjoying the opening of the Flower Carpet, Centenary Square (Image: Christine Taylor: T&A Camera Club)
Susan Radford said: 'Everywhere can appear safe when you’re not getting hassle, but once you’ve experienced a negative it can be difficult to return to a positive opinion.'
Another reader recalled being mugged at an ATM in Bradford 30 years ago, saying the experience had stayed with her, although she acknowledged that it was a long time ago.
There were also readers who specifically mentioned concerns about particular issues rather than the city centre as a whole.
Amara Deen said drug users were what made her 'think twice', but otherwise she did not feel unsafe.
Others compared Bradford with other cities, with Adele Chapman saying she had the same level of awareness when out in Bradford at night as she did in Leeds.
Several readers also suggested the improvements highlighted at the Wellbeing Board should not be overlooked.
One reader said they regularly walked from Bradford Interchange to Forster Square, while another said they walked from the station across to the National Science and Media Museum during the daytime and early evening without feeling scared.
And one commenter appeared keen to highlight the potential positives for visitors, saying they were travelling into Bradford by train for a show at Bradford Live and planned to visit the flower carpet despite the concerns raised by the councillor.
The discussion ultimately reflected the point made during the Wellbeing Board meeting itself: people's experiences of Bradford can differ considerably.
While some readers said they feel perfectly comfortable walking through the city centre, others described being apprehensive, particularly at night or following previous negative experiences.
As Chief Executive Lorraine O’Donnell told the meeting: 'Two things can be true at once. Things are getting better, but there is more to do.'