Most Bradford people have known for some time that the city centre is in decline as far as shopping is concerned. There are constant complaints that there are not enough retailers of sufficiently high quality to attract the people who have most money to spend.

Too many units in and around the city centre stand empty, or have been taken over by charity stores and shops which boast that nothing costs more than a pound. The situation has not been helped by the debacle over the markets.

But even though all this is well known, it is depressing to have the problem officially confirmed by a survey which shows that takings at more than half the stores in central Bradford have slumped in the past five years.

There is better news about Skipton, Ilkley and Keighley, where trade is rather brisker - largely because the populations of these towns are being boosted by new housing, much of which is being occupied by people who are moving further away from Bradford and its suburbs.

But Bradford's heart is ailing. Shoppers need more reasons to come here. Fortunately, it seems likely that they will be getting those reasons before long. The Petergate/Forster Square retail development is on the drawing board. The Vicar Lane leisure centre is well under way.

However, the new buildings will not be enough on their own. As the Lockwood survey rightly points out, the shoppers need an infrastructure in the form of high-profile policing, better public toilets and above all adequate car parking. Unless those are provided, Bradford will almost certainly continue to struggle.