Lister Park
🏟 Playground & park · Manningham, Bradford
Lister Park
A Bradford gem in Manningham with a redeveloped all-abilities adventure play area, boating lake, Mughal Gardens and the Cartwright Hall art gallery.
🕑 Opening & entry
🌱 Open 24 hours a day, all year round · Free · No booking needed
About Lister Park
Lister Park is one of Bradford's best-loved green spaces, set around the Grade II*-listed Cartwright Hall Art Gallery on North Park Road in Manningham. The land was sold to Bradford Corporation by Samuel Cunliffe Lister in 1870 for public use, and Cartwright Hall opened in 1904 for the Bradford Exhibition; the gallery today holds a significant collection of early David Hockney works. The park's enclosed play area was redeveloped in 2022 and sits on rubberised safety surfacing designed for children of all abilities. A toddler and junior zone is dominated by a pirate ship surrounded by swings, with a ramp leading up to an area for older children featuring a net climbing structure, a rope swinging feature and a climbing unit. No one over 14 may enter unless supervising a child, and dogs are not allowed in the play zone. Beyond the playground the park offers a boating lake, bandstand, the Mughal Gardens with water cascades, tennis courts, a multi-use games area, fitness equipment, a cafe and a weekly Saturday parkrun. It is open 24 hours a day, all year round, with on-site car parking and toilets.
⭐ What makes this place special
- boating lake
- bandstand
- Cartwright Hall Art Gallery
- Mughal Gardens
- tennis courts
- multi-use games area
🏞 Facilities
- Free entry
- Parking: True
- Toilets on site
- Café / refreshments
- Play surface: rubberised safety surfacing
- Accessibility: enclosed play area accessible to children of all abilities on a rubberised surface
- Dogs: Dogs are not permitted in the enclosed play area
🧒 Ages & play
- Ages: all ages (play area, no entry over 14 unless supervising a child)
- pirate ship
- swings
- net climbing structure
- rope swing
- climbing unit
- slide
- toddler play features
📍 Nearby places to play
- Peel Park · approx 1.2 miles · Bolton, Bradford
- Shipley Central Park · approx 1.7 miles · Shipley
- Horton Park · approx 1.8 miles · Horton, Bradford
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❓ Frequently asked questions
Is Lister Park free to visit?
Yes. The park and its play area are free to use, and it is open 24 hours a day, all year round.
Does Lister Park have a children's playground?
Yes. There is an enclosed adventure play area, redeveloped in 2022, with a pirate ship, swings, a net climbing structure, a rope swing and a climbing unit on rubberised safety surfacing.
Is the play area accessible for all children?
Yes. The enclosed play area is designed to be accessible to children of all abilities and sits on a soft rubberised surface.
Are there toilets, parking and a cafe?
Yes. The park has car parking, public toilets and a cafe (open seasonally, April to September and October weekends).
Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are not permitted inside the enclosed play area, though the wider park is accessible.