The idea of redeveloping the major site at the top of the town currently occupied by Morrisons supermarket and the John Street and Rawson markets is a good one.

That area of the city centre is in urgent need of a boost. It has suffered badly from the closure and demolition of Rawson Market. Many of the surrounding shops are standing empty. Unless something rather radical takes place, it seems doomed to decline steadily.

The prospect of an improved and extended Morrisons supermarket on the West Gate and John Street site, with a revitalised John Street market and a new retail development on the Rawson Market site, should be welcomed.

It is still only early days. As with so many other schemes mooted for Bradford over the past few years, there is a long way to go and a lot of loose ends to be tied up. But Morrisons is a major local company with a good track record. If this scheme does go ahead, a market situated at the top of the town and backed by the company could be very successful.

It is important that any development on the site protects the concept of market stalls and market traders. In fact, the whole market ethos needs to be cherished and encouraged to flourish.

Other towns and cities, which give a higher priority to their markets, find them bringing in visitors and shoppers from a wide area. Market trading could become an important attraction for Bradford, rather than the underrated appendage to the retail trade that it has been allowed to become.

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