Local tour business to compete for regional prize
A new small business that is looking to bring the history of Bradford to life will compete for a £5,000 prize at a regional business awards ceremony in March.
Yarn Spinners Tours, a new start up company based at the University of Bradford, recently beat off competition from other businesses based within the University’s incubation unit to win £500 cash and £500 worth of business support.
By impressing a panel of judges, Yarn Spinners Tours will also represent the University of Bradford at the Regional Enterprise Awards in March this year and have the chance to compete for £5,000 against start up companies from ten other universities and colleges in Yorkshire and Humberside*.
Yarn Spinners Tours is the brainchild of Bradfordian Rubina Khan (39). Rubina graduated from a degree in Tourism Management from the University of Bradford in 2001 and has since been following her dream of wowing visitors with her theatrical guided tours.
Rubina can currently be seen in Victorian costume in and around the city of Bradford giving guided walks to visitors, explaining Bradford’s rich Victorian history and culture, as well as the city’s darker side in a tour she calls ‘Ghosts and Grisly Tales’.
Her aim is for Yarn Spinners to be the first business to operate open top bus tours in the district and cash in on Bradford’s tourist trade, which has a yearly value of around £400 million.
Rubina said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have won at this stage. It didn’t sink in at first especially because of the high calibre of competition. Now I have to work toward the regional final and although this is an exciting time, it’s also nerve wracking! I just hope I can do Bradford proud.
“We have so much to see in our city and we should be proud of our heritage. When I was a child, my father would take the family out on Sundays to walk in the city and look at the architecture. He would encourage us to learn about our city. I suppose that’s when I started to enjoy history.
“There’s huge potential for Bradford tours, and shortly I’ll be operating guided mini bus tours in the district before moving on to my bigger plan of open top bus tours. There’s no reason why this cannot happen and I intend to form partnerships with other attractions to encourage tourists into Bradford.”
Yarn Spinners Tours is based within Think Business@Bradford, the University’s graduate business support programme.
Teresa Hull, Incubation Manager for Think Business@Bradford, said: “Rubina was up against tough competition from some of our other start up businesses. However, we were delighted to award her with a prize and shortlist her for the regional final.
“Rubina is very passionate about her business and her city. If she is successful, it will be a terrific boost for Bradford in terms of its regeneration by bringing visitors into the city centre that might before have only gone to traditionally well-trodden tourist traps.”
For more information about Yarn Spinners Tours, please visit www.yarnspinnerstours.co.uk
[N.B. Please mention the Eagle Intermedia Bronte Country website when making your enquiries.]
Bradford (in Bronte Country) - Home Page
Bronte Country is designed, maintained and promoted by Eagle Intermedia Publishing Ltd.
