The row over Linda Lee-Potter's description of Bradford as "vile and nasty" has died down, as rows do.

But it will have left a number of memories. The accusation will have reached more people than the reply. Bradford people will feel insulted by another ill-informed Southerner. In short, the episode has once again damaged Bradford's external image and internal pride.

Such things do matter. Ms Lee-Potter said "the planners have knocked down buildings and replaced them with 'tacky ugliness'." I agree - but that was 30 years ago. The real point is that the dynamics of the property market in Bradford are not yet sufficient to secure the demolition of the sixties eyesores in the city centre.

In more prosperous cities like Bristol, Leeds and Southampton, such buildings are being flattened as I write. In Singapore and San Diego, a building is considered a worthy candidate for replacement if it is over eight years old. But in Bradford, even experienced developers like Paul Caddick can't make the sums stack up.

Which brings us back to image. Why don't Mr Caddick's figures justify large scale redevelopment now? Because prospective rental levels are too low. And why is that? Because our image is one of commercial and retail decline. Not enough people want to come here or stay here.

A major PR campaign is not the answer. Not yet anyway. Instead, Bradford should concentrate upon achieving three or four major successes, hopefully in the city centre. To achieve these - I am thinking of more developments like the recently-let Aldermanbury Building - in the current market will involve public subsidy, now available through the Regional Development Agency.

The sight of a few new buildings actively up and let would do more for Bradford than any number of Technicolor plans that never get beyond the pages of the T&A.

The Council must stop its pretence of omni-competence and stop trying to take two pounds of flesh from every developer who appears. Free marketeers must recognise that the current free market is failing Bradford and that the public cost of a few successes will be tiny in relation to the wider burden if Ms Lee-Potter's view ever proves to be a widespread and accurate perception.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.