PAGE 10 Friday, April 20, 2018 COMMENT & ANALYSIS Discover who’s saying what @ telegraphandargus.co.uk

Hall Ings, BD1 1JR. Established 1868 New cinema ‘I THINK IT’S ESSENTIAL is a boost for of Film WE RAISE OUR GAME’

WALKING along Broadway over recent months, it has been interesting to watch the work-in-progress of the new six-screen An IT pioneer boutique cinema – the latest addition to Bradford’s selection of big screen venues. Now it is announced that The Light is to open says it’s time to the venue next month. While it could be argued that Bradford may change the city’s not need another cinema – with Cineworld at the Leisure Exchange and the Picturehouse and Imax at the National Science and Media image, writes Museum, not to mention the Odeon at Thornbury – it is surely encouraging that The Light has enough faith in the city to open its PERRY AUSTIN- tenth cinema nationally and second in Yorkshire here. The venue will, says The Light CEO Keith Pullinger, offer a different CLARKE kind of cinema experience, in the spirit of independent picture houses. As Bradford is UNESCO’s first City of Film, RIDE IN Bradford shines with a rich cinematic heritage dating back to out of Mark Cowgill. So silent movies, it is fitting that our city centre much so that, when his Pbooming nationwide should offer a range of big screen entertainment. business needed to find new premises to expand into, there And by introducing a programme that was only ever going to be one includes requests from local community location: Bradford city centre. groups, and caters for people with conditions such as autism and dementia, the new “To be honest, I had to do a real complex will continue the impressive work marketing job on some of my already underway in the city to make cinema- colleagues,” says Mark. “But, for going more inclusive. me, this was the ideal choice. I’m a Bradford lad; I couldn’t go The £4.1 million cinema development, which anywhere else!” will form part of a hub of cafes, restaurants and bars on that strip, boosts Bradford’s city It helps, of course, that his office centre regeneration in many ways; not just in on the top floor of the company’s creating jobs and attracting people here, but HQ, in Bolton Road, has a in offering a wider range of choice – and brilliant view of his beloved PRIDE: Mark Cowgill, co-founder and director of Exa Network accessibility – in leisure and entertainment. Bradford City’s stadium. But for Mark, co-founder and director of Mark was so convinced of its their needs, no matter how much Powerhouse Rail and a city Exa Networks, one of the potential to make the city centre they expand. centre station wholeheartedly C omplaints poliCy district’s most exciting better, that he promised to fork Founded in 2003 by Mark, and the BID is part of working technology businesses, being at out £25,000 to back it, no strings Thomas Mangin and Michael towards that. If we can make the heart of the city was also a The T&A is regulated by the Independent Press Standards attached. Syree, it is now one of the Bradford an attractive place to way of giving something back to Organisation and we seek to abide by the Editors’ Code “I think it’s absolutely vital to leading internet connectivity come and hang out and to work the community which helped which is enforced by IPSO. The Code is available at http:// Bradford,” he says. “A lot of providers for schools and in, it’s going to be easier to find www.editorscode.org.uk/the_code.php. Details of IPSO can make him. stuff that’s happened here over businesses across the UK. On the staff – and retain them.” be found at http://www.ipso.co.uk. “I am Bradford born and bred,” Complaints and requests for editorial corrections or the last few years, with The way, this multi-award-winning, More than 600 businesses in the clarifications should be referred to the Editor in the first says Mark. “I was born at St Broadway and developments like home-grown success story’s demise area – which now instance, who can be contacted as follows: complaints@ Luke’s and my heart’s in the Sunbridge Wells, has been great achievements have included the includes Exa Networks – will be telegraphandargus.co.uk heart of the city.” but it just needs that little bit development of a network tool asked to vote on the five-year It is essential that your email is headed “Complaint” in the subject line and contains the following information: His view of Bradford, though, is more. I believe the BID is how (ExaBGP) used by some of the project later this year, with the • Your name, postal address, email address and telephone not painted through rose-tinted we’re going to do it. It has the world’s biggest companies, result announced in October. So number. spectacles. ability to give us that final nudge including Microsoft, Twitter and what does Mark hope it will • Title of the publication concerned; “Bradford has not lived up to its over the line we need.” Facebook. achieve? • Date of publication; • Page number or website page address (or a copy of the potential for a long time,” he He’s not a man you’d like to bet From Mark’s point of view, the “I want the perception of story); and says. against. His company has grown BID can only be good for Bradford – as being second rate • Details of the complaint. “I think it’s essential we raise from a team of just six into one business: “A ny business that to some of the other cities We may ask for more detail, but once the full details have of the most innovative internet says it’s supporting it for around, such as for Leeds and been established, we will try to resolve any complaint brought our game.” under the Editors’ Code within 28 days. If you are dissatisfied His determination to help service providers in the UK, completely unselfish reasons is Manchester – to improve,” he with our answer, you may then refer the matter to IPSO. Bradford move on prompted him recently introducing the fastest lying; we all have reasons why says. “I think as Bradfordians For complaints about non-editorial third party comments to make an extraordinary pledge internet technology in the world we want to see Bradford succeed. we’ve been our own worst on website articles you should always use the “report this (DarkLight), to businesses enemies sometimes. Some post” function next to the comment. when he heard about plans for a “For us, we’re a growing Business Improvement District across Yorkshire. business, we have staff coming people say it’s not a safe place (BID) in Bradford city centre. The technology is a pure fibre in to work for us but people get because it has a diverse culture but every town and city in Even though Exa Networks’ connection which is not their eyes turned like magpies: restricted by having to use third- if there’s something shiny over Britain has a diverse culture; offices originally fell outside the Bradford’s no different, no BID “demise area” – within party infrastructure or limited at Manchester or Leeds, it’s bandwidth. It means businesses more attractive to go work there. better, no worse – it’s just a which all businesses and perception. organisations will pay a levy on will not only enjoy ultra-fast And that’s generally about what their business rates and benefit connections but will only ever it’s like in the city centre, rather “It’s in all of our interests that on this Day from five years of improvement need the one line because it can than what the job is. Bradford is successful and safe projects if the BID goes ahead – be scaled up in minutes to meet “We support Northern and clean and it’s got a night 25 years ago: A cookery book of thrifty dishes had time entertainment area and become Yorkshire’s bestseller. Betty Crabtree’s 50 that it’s a proper, buzzing city. Dishes For Thrifty People had sold all 500 copies A lot of stuff that’s happened here over the “A nd if businesses are thinking making a whole £85 profit for and about whether they should or Poverty Action Group, thanks to a 63-year-old shouldn’t support the BID, I’d from . last few years has been great but it just needs ask them: Do you want the city to 50 years ago: Otley was planning to celebrate the be successful and, therefore, 250th anniversary of its most famous son, cabinet your company to be successful as maker Thomas Chippendale, with a special that little bit more well? franking on all of Otley’s mail to commemorate the “Who’s going to say ‘No’ to that? occasion. And if you do, why are you in ‘‘ Mark Cowgill business?”