It is never pleasant to see ourselves as others see us. It is particularly hurtful when the person doing the seeing expresses her view in such uncompromising terms as did national newspaper columnist Lynda Lee-Potter after a visit to Bradford.

This, she told the Daily Mail's readers today, is a "vile and nasty place". Its Victorian buildings have been knocked down by the planners and replaced with "tacky ugliness". The city's streets "are among the filthiest in Britain".

Opinions like that, stated so forcefully by a high-profile writer in a major newspaper, can do untold damage to the efforts of the many people who have worked so hard in recent years to improve Bradford's image. Yes, the city centre did lose a lot in the wholesale redevelopment of the 1960s. Ugly buildings were erected, and too many of them remain.

But there are attractive new buildings too, put up in the more stylish 1990s. Surviving Victorian properties are being cherished and put to good use. Can there be a finer setting for a book shop than the Wool Exchange? Centenary Square is a wonderful addition to a city centre which is lighter and more open than it has ever been. There is plenty which is positive to be said about Bradford.

What cannot be denied, unfortunately, is that the streets are litter-strewn. As soon as the Council cleans up the mess, the people of Bradford scatter more of it. It demonstrates a sad lack of pride which the city needs to rediscover if it is to win back its past reputation as, in Lynda Lee-Potter's words, "a dignified, proud city with immaculate streets".

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