Covid: Bradford Centenary Square test centre to close

The site in Centenary Square Bradford was built in July 2020

A Covid-19 testing centre which has seen more than 48,000 people since it opened in summer 2020 is to close.

The Centenary Square site in the heart of Bradford city centre will have its final day of testing on Saturday.

Once the site is decommissioned, it will be returned to its former use of hosting large events, a council spokesperson said.

Four other testing sites in the Bradford area are to remain open until the end of March.

These include two further centres in Bradford and sites in Keighley and Shipley, the authority confirmed.

Director of public health Sarah Muckle praised "all the fantastic staff who have been working hard to deliver tests at the site" for the past 20 months.

Centenary Square is home to City Park, a public space containing the Mirror Pool, described as the largest urban water feature in the UK.

Prior to the pandemic it was frequently used to stage festivals and hosted other attractions.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby said: "We are looking forward to safely welcoming back events to City Park with a wide range of events planned for the remainder of 2022."