Bradford’s Broadway shopping centre wins award

The Broadway shopping centre in Bradford has been awarded a certification by the People’s Parking which verifies its capacity to cater for people of all needs and abilities thanks to the quality of the facilities in its multi-story car park.

The 1,323 space car park is the first in the UK to receive the People’s Parking award for its motorcycle parking facilities.

People’s Parking, a national accreditation scheme for car parks, has granted the centre an award in a number of other categories. The car park has been recognised as accessible for disabled people, as well as being family and shopper-friendly. 

The centre also has charging points for electric vehicles and is convenient for commuters travelling by train or bus.

The centre has 63 disabled bays and 54 extra wide parent and child bays to make loading and unloading pushchairs and prams easier.

Dave Downes, Deputy Centre Manager, at The Broadway, has said: “It’s fantastic for The Broadway to be recognised by People’s Parking. We have worked hard to ensure everyone who wishes to visit the shopping centre can do so easily and in a stress-free manner.

“We know how important it is for people to have a sense of independence and we want our visitors to be able to go about everyday activities, such as shopping trips, without having to worry whether they can use the car park safely.”

People’s Parking founder Helen Dolphin said: “Through my work as an independent mobility consultant and as a disabled person myself, I know first-hand the difficulties many of us face when coming in and out of car parks.

“A few small changes to payment methods or parking bays can make life far easier for disabled shoppers, as well as parents with small children, who might otherwise avoided visiting somewhere for fear of having to deal with poorly equipped parking facilities.”

People's Parking was founded in 2016 by disability campaigner Helen Dolphin MBE and is primarily aimed at improving car parks for customers, enabling them to find a car park which meets their needs.

Charity support ‘in store’ for The Broadway

SUPPORTING LOCAL CAUSES: Ian Ward, general manager of The Broadway, presents a cheque worth £1,000, to Beccy Bardgett, consultant paediatrician from Bradford Hospital

The Broadway Shopping Centre in Bradford has this week announced the official launch of its community partnership with Bradford Hospital Children’s Charity.

To mark the occasion, 20 children from the hospital were invited to attend the inaugural ride of the centre’s new mall train whilst a £1,000 donation was also made.

Following the train ride the centre’s special guests visited Urban Chocolatier for a special treat of delicious chocolate creations.

The £1,000 donation will go towards enhancing the new children’s wards, contributing to a multisensory room for children with complex needs, enhancing a multifunction room for dining and play as well as adolescent rest facilities, and ensuring each bed station is as homely as possible.

Ian Ward, general manager of The Broadway, said: “It’s incredibly important for us to give back to the community, and we could think of no better way to do that than to pledge our support to the Bradford Hospital Children’s Charity.  

“The work they do there is invaluable and we’re very proud to be able to contribute to it.

Beccy Bardgett, consultant paediatrician from Bradford Hospital Children’s Charity, said: “We are thrilled to be the chosen partner charity for the Broadway Shopping Centre and are very grateful not only for this generous donation, but also for providing a wonderful day out for some of our patients and their families.”

The Broadway Express is now officially open to the public and will remain a permanent fixture in the centre.