SIR – The Telegraph & Argus, December 3, 2004, told us that Westfield had pledged that the “showpiece centre” would still open by its Christmas 2007 deadline.

Barra Mac Ruairi recently told us he would ensure that Westfield went ahead in the next 12 months or throw in the towel, and now Paul Mackie, the Bradford Property Forum’s chairman, denies Barra’s optimism and declares that he is trying to get Westfield on site in two years.

Based on an optimistic two-year construction and fitting-out time, this means that we should be shopping in Broadway in either 2014 or 2015, dependent upon whom we believe.

Now that the Property Forum has realised that its largesse-stimulated following of BCR was misplaced, Mr Mackie’s stance of “considering” crossrail, the Odeon, and city-centre shopping is a bit late in the day.

These items have been on the city’s agenda for several years, and if such an august body as the Property Forum has not yet come forward with a disinterested recommendation of what should be done, what price is there for us lesser mortals?

John Pashley, Westcliffe Avenue, Baildon