The three Odeon-site options presented to the Great Bradford Public for their comments (but not for their votes) are interesting.

No, I'll refine that statement. One of the three options is interesting as far as Bradford is concerned.

The other two are splendid glass palaces which might sit quite happily alongside other glass palaces in the centre of, say, Leeds, London, Manchester or Birmingham. But they're nothing special, and they would dwarf the Alhambra.

Bradford does deserve something special - something other major cities don't have. A fully refurbished 3,000seater auditorium plus smaller performance and rehearsal spaces, studios, workshops and galleries within the existing building would probably fit the bill nicely as far as a lot of Bradford people are concerned.

But as that's not one of the three options being presented to us by Bradford Centre Regeneration, we must focus instead on what is on offer.

Forget the schemes dubbed Bradford Pivot and New Victoria Place - although the name of the latter would at least acknowledge the site's link with the building that previously occupied it.

Mind you, on that basis I suppose we could go even further back and call it Whitakers' World, after the name of the brewery that pre-dated the New Vic!

In fact, let's adopt that as the name of the third option, rather than the "Casa Mela" handle its would-be developers and architects have saddled it with.

This Whitakers' World scheme has some merit, not least because it retains the twin towers, landmarks which mean a lot to many local people. It's also of a manageable scale. With its open spaces and multiple bright colours it looks rather interesting. It would manage to appear distinctive while fitting in with the surviving buildings nearby - including the historic Quebec Street immediately behind it.

I confess that I rather like this proposal, at least on paper. What concerns me, though, about this and both the other schemes is the certain vagueness about what will occupy the building (s).

Bradford Pivot offers "a mixed-use venue to shop, relax, learn, live and work" with, on the lower floors, "active frontages to strengthen the public realm and a feature window to create the gateway to the College." Add to that, whatever it all means, residential accommodation and an office tower topped by a public restaurant.

New Victoria Place promises "a family-friendly new public square" among "four new buildings offering high-quality office space, apartments, a hotel, restaurants, cafes, galleries and more" with Bradford College moving in along with other local businesses.

And Whitaker's World/Casa Mela? The big feature of that would be a "triple height, covered public space" to be known as a "Grand Foyer" sustaining a "a vibrant mix of multi-cultural food and drink establishments, a 'shopfront' for Bradford College, flexible workspace, a quality hotel and fantastic new homes."

Bradford already has lots of multi-cultural food and drink establishments, not all of which are thriving. It has three major hotels in the centre, plus a budget one at the Leisure Exchange. It has a fast-growing number of apartments. And quite what a "shopfront for Bradford College" would be isn't explained.

There's a worrying whiff of Millennium Dome-itis about all these schemes, more than a hint of "Let's get it built and then find something to put in it".

Meanwhile Bradford will still be without a major concert venue other than St George's Hall, for which there are expansion plans. But in which direction?

I hope I can be forgiven for suggesting that there seems to be a lack of attention to fine detail in these proposals as indeed there has been over the consultation response card. At the bottom of the card, which invites anonymous response to three questions, it says: "If you would like to receive further communications and updates from Bradford Centre Regeneration on the Odeon Consultation and other Bradford Regeneration projects, please tick here".

Nowhere on the card is there space for your name and address!

*** What a turn-up for the books! The Commission for Racial Equality, no less, says that some travellers behave irresponsibly and cause tensions in communities across the country by setting up illegal camps and making a mess. It estimates the cost of dealing with illegal camps at £18 million a year.

Mind you, the commission's public acknowledgement of what most of us have known for years comes as part of a plea to councils to do more to provide official sites rather than condemnation of the antics of travellers, That might not be the full answer to the problem of untidiness.

Driving up Bowling Back Lane to the tip the other Sunday, with the car crammed full of old carpets, we passed Birkshall Street adjacent to the Mary Street permanent official "gipsy" site.

The street was strewn with rubbish: old sofas, carpets and other debris (most of which has since been cleared).

This might have nothing to do with those living on the site, but the coincidence is remarkable.

Why on earth do people do this, when such a fine amenity as the council dump is mere yards away and very well used by council taxpaying citizens who appreciate it - and, moreover, is open on Sundays and even some bank holidays for their convenience?

Some people are doomed forever to behave like scruffs, much to the despair of the rest of us who find such sights deeply offensive. This isn't the most scenic part of the city by any means, but it deserves better than this.