About

Sunbridgewells is an underground tunnel complex in the heart of Bradford, opened by Princess Anne in 2017, this unique venue takes you out of reality into a world of pure imagination. 

We have 4 entrances located throughout the city centre with disabled access from City Park along with easy access from Sunbridge Road, Upper Millergate and Ivegate.

Bradford's own Victorian quarter, which includes restaurants, cafes and shops in a setting that is in line with the city's history and culture.

Bradford Town Centre started around 1230 in the areas of Kirkgate, Ivegate and Westgate forming a T section – with the market square on the T. We have exposed the T as part of our foundations and we can call this the true foundation of Bradford. Visitors will be able to view for themselves the quarry face 30 ft underground.

Under the Bradford improvement act of 1873 Charles Waller sold 125 sq yds of the building to create Sunbridge Road in Bradford. In the agreement with Bradford Corporation they agreed to build a tunnel entrance on Aldermanbury which is now the entrance to Sunbridge Wells,

The tunnel with its entrance on Aldermanbury, Bradford was used as an he air raid shelter during the Second World War it was called Millergate Subway – it was the largest air raid shelter in Bradford.

By 1964 the premises now derelict were leased by the wrestler Big Daddy and opened as a night club called the Little Black Fat Pussy Cat.

In the late 80’s the area in front of the tunnel was used by Bradford Council as an area for storing road sweep- ing carts and a place where workers would shelter from the rain.

During the 1990’s with pub chains merging and businesses changing due to the recession the buildings became empty and the tunnels still filled with debris and were in poor condition suffering from dry rot and the like. The dry rot was creeping round the whole building and to the sub structures. It was by chance with the door open Graham Hall managed to see for himself what was left below Bradford in 2006. Armed only with his mobile phone he started to take pictures in the dark and wonder who owned the tunnel and what is had been and what it could be. 

It was quite wondrous alone in the dark not knowing what to expect. Graham approached Dayal Sharma OBE who owned part of the tunnel and negotiated the sale of his part of the tunnel and property on Upper Millergate. 

Over the next 3 years Graham went through each part of the tunnel ownership and negotiated with each of the freeholders to secure the tunnel area as a whole structure

Graham Hall put back together all the pieces  of the jigsaw which had been split up in 1956. 

Since then three Lord Mayors have toured the tunnel and been impressed with the transformation.

 

Free Entry