The urgency with which the Bradford Urban Regeneration Company needs to hurl itself into its task is emphasised today with news that one of the few remaining old-established quality businesses in the city centre is to close.

The owner of Chadwick's in Kirkgate, which has traded in Bradford for 120 years, blames the decision partly on a "steady decline" in the quality of the shopping centre.

While trading conditions in Bradford are probably not any worse than they were ten years ago, the closure of Chadwick's illustrates the dilemma businesses have faced over whether or not to ride out the storm until the long-awaited transformation of the shopping centre gets under way.

Of course, it is a great shame that some businesses have felt unable to hang on until those plans finally come to fruition but we must also remember that the issues facing the centre of Bradford were never going to be solved overnight.

Nor should we expect them to be. We are on a hiding to nothing if we expect a quick solution to provide the foundation for long-term success.

All eyes are now on the Urban Regeneration Company as it prepares to consider a new blueprint for the future development of Bradford city centre, drawn up by a project team from Alsop Architects over the past few months.

Its members must now rise to the challenge of providing a detailed and inspirational framework which can bring about the changes Bradford needs, secure its future for many years to come and give its residents something to be proud of.