(5 -,.,fttit· • crmanf'. IS THIS THE REAL BERLIN Only a few months ago Peckover Street, in the heart of Bradford's Little Germany, became the set for a major TV film by Columbia of America. The story, based on real events, has a central character, Harry Seidel, who was ultimately imprisoned in East Germany for helping people escape to the West. The original story, titled The Berlin Wall, was written by French author Pierre Galante who witnessed the partition. This epic story retold by the film The Wall of' Tyranny suddenly transformed part of Bradford into the Berlin of 1961. Producer Peter Graham-Scott described the Little Germany location as ideal for the film, in which the Bradford wool barons' warehouses will represent the grandeur of Berlin alongside landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate. The cafe-bars, shops and apartment houses brought the 20 acre Little Germany quarter of 19th century wool barons' warehouses back to life. Why then couldn't this fictitious situation be present day reality? The Western Sector was just the sort of atmosphere the Planning Section had been attempting to create for the past I O years. HTV, who were contracted to make the film, took less than 2 weeks to transform the buildings into a busy community. What has all this to do with conservation, Little Germany, or Bradford in 1988?The answer is simple- promotion 7 and publicity necessary to attract investment into the numerous empty buildings. Many of those who have looked at the area over the last 2 years have walked away, but one or two have decided to stay and now major investment schemes in hotels, housing and leisure related activities are being planned. Little Germany is an island of development physically isolated by l960's road schemes and a very recently completed phase of the City Ring Road. However, the latter will give the area greatly improved access and add to the future commercial opportunities. Bradford Council recognised this potential, in 1973 and courageously declared a Conservation Area in Little Germany, together with a Commercial fmprovement Area in 1979, so as to provide a policy framework and much needed financial assistance to the building owners. The sheer scale of the problem in the early years of low occupancy and the need to refurbish over I million square feet of floor space led to little more than a holding operation being put into effect. The time and climate, within both Central Government and the Council, was not right for anything other than small scale incremental improvements, implemented so as to safeguard existing businesses and what little employment still remained. The most common problems being tackled were leaking roofs, inadequate means of fire escape and the soot blackened buildings giving the ·area a very bleak character. More major problems of redundant empty warehouse blocks, poor street lighting, access and parking still remained largely unresolved after years of effort and would have to wait for a co-ordinated solution. The turning point came in 1985 when the Council's Economic Development Unit, the English Tourist Board and English Heritage joined forces to promote Little Germany as part of Bradford's Tourist Action Programme and in 1986 the Little Germany Task Force was formed with Planning, EDU and other co-opted Local Authority staff. Bradford has a growing tourist trade concentrating short breaks for those interested in speciality packages and this gave the Task Force the necessary driving force to sell the concept that the area could become the most exciting business quarter in the city. Urbed (Urban and Economic Development) Ltd. were also drafted in for a short while to give added confidence to the private sector, especially from outside the district, by highlighting development potential and promotional ideas. Putting over an air of confidence and the creation of an action programme has been the key to success. The Little Germany fmprovement Association was formed in 1980 by local business owners as a means of communicating to the people already in the area and those hoping to set up in business. A number of excellent schemes are being developed and in comparison to the last I0 years the Task Force has achieved outstanding results in its first 24 months. Amongst other projects, 1986 saw: • A major landscaping scheme at Festival Square constructed in 13 weeks using MSC labour. • Grants offered for stonecleaning. • Little Germany Improvement Association formed. • Wine Bar No 2 re-opens. • Repair and street cleaning carried out more effectively. • Publicity taken nationally. • Pub Licence Granted. • Housing, Design Centre projects discussed. • Street Festival held ( I0,000 people attended over the 2 days). However by the beginning of 1987 everything looked as ifit had come to a standstill and, although negotiations were taking place, few people were prepared for the 3 months inactivity over the winter. The press kept asking 'what's gone wrong?'. Both the Gas and Water Boards undertook major repair work in the area because of the Ring Road and looking towards a brighter future. Disruption to existing business was terrible while the streets were
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