Keighley and Haworth push to promote "domestic tourism"

Visit Bradford is making a push to promote Keighley and Haworth as “domestic” tourist destinations.

The tourism arm of Bradford Council has teamed with Keighley Bus Museum Trust and Bronte Country Partnership to launch a ‘Grand Heritage Tour’ on a vintage double decker bus.

The tour will take visitors to historic and contemporary attractions with “hop offs” in the hope that passengers will spend money in the towns.

Bus driver Graham Mitchell said: “Keighley is not normally regarded as a ‘tourist town’ yet it has an absolute wealth of architectural, social and transport history, all of which is examined and explained during the Tour, and it’s best seen from the open top of a double decker bus.

“I am always gratified by the number of people who alight saying, ‘Eh, I’ve lived in Keighley all me life and I nivver knew that!’”

A recent report from national tourist board, Visit England, suggested that many people had not experienced the “tourist opportunities” on their own doorstep.

Passengers on the Grand Heritage Tour will be taken to the Star Centre; the Police Museum; East Riddlesden Hall and Cliffe Castle.

Cllrr Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council’s executive member for Employment, Skills and Culture, said “As well as breathtaking countryside, we have a huge variety of stunning and historic architecture in Keighley and Haworth including fascinating museums. “This ‘Grand Heritage Tour’ is a great idea and it would be good to see residents also discovering what there is to enjoy right on their doorstep.”