Every schoolchild in Bradford will visit

The Yorkshire Post features the plans to save the Brontë birthplace in Thornton.

The property went up for sale after the current owner, surveyor Mark de Luca, who bought it in 2013, decided it was unviable to re-open the Brontë-themed coffee bar, Emily’s, that he had been running from the building after the business suffered losses during Covid.

Brontë Birthplace Ltd supporters had tried to buy it before the de Lucas moved in, but they have now had a £300,000 offer accepted on the terraced house that was built in 1802 in the village of Thornton, near Bradford. [...]

The property went up for sale after the current owner, surveyor Mark de Luca, who bought it in 2013, decided it was unviable to re-open the Bronté-themed coffee bar, Emily’s, that he had been running from the building after the business suffered losses during Covid.

Brontë Birthplace Ltd supporters had tried to buy it before the de Lucas moved in, but they have now had a £300,000 offer accepted on the terraced house that was built in 1802 in the village of Thornton, near Bradford.

Also involved in Steve Stanworth, an engineer who also co-ordinates the volunteer action group at the Bell Chapel, the remains of the church where the Reverend Bronte preached before it was replaced with a new building in the 1870s.

"We tried to buy the Brontë birthplace at auction back in 2012, but we ran out of time. Mark de Luca has been trying to sell it for a few years, so we thought we’d have another go. We set up a Community Benefit Society so we could apply for funding, and have got a generous grant from Bradford 2025.”

Now, the group of dedicated Brontë enthusiasts have launched a Crowdfunder campaign to raise an additional £355,000 in ‘pledged’ donations that will go towards the costs of renovating the building.

"Our vision is that every schoolchild in Bradford will visit and stand in front of the fireplace where these famous writers were born. We’d like to open next September, but we need to fully rewire the house, repair the roof and fit new fire safety systems for the letting rooms. It needs extensive work. It’s Grade II-listed, and even restoring each original sash window will cost around £4,000."

The seven-year plan includes tendering the contract to run the cafe on a franchise basis and appointing a business manager to run the events space and guest accommodation. Links will be forged with the Haworth Parsonage Museum, with plans for a walking trail between the two attractions.

"We’ve got a lot of experienced people on the committee who add value to the business, and most of them live in Thornton. It will be a real community-based asset. We had two visitors from Australia last week asking why they couldn’t go inside – there is interest in the Brontes from all over the world.”

So far, the Crowdfunder has generated £34,000, with a further £10,000 contributed from fundraising events.

"We’re targeting local businesses who might want to become patrons now. Fundraising for renovations is always a harder sell than for actually buying the property!” (Grace Newton)

You can help here.

A contributor to Henley Standard reminisces about living in Yorkshire.

I used to live in “God’s own country” and that can only be one place, as every true Yorkshirewoman will tell you.

Our Sundays were spent striding the beautiful wild expanses of the moors surrounding our home in Ilkley. It wasn’t hard to see how Emily Brontë conjured up the enigmatic Heathcliff in such an empty and desolate landscape.

A blunder from a Business World interview to Brontëite Sonam Kapoor.

Tell me about your favourite book and your favourite movie.

I like Charlotte Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Obviously, Jane Eyre (by Brontë as well) as well is amazing. (Jyotsna Sharma)

Die Tagepost (Germany) considers Jane Eyre 2011 'a real faith film'. Both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights make it onto a list of the best romantic tales compiled by Plano informativo (Mexico).