It is certainly a blow for Bradford that its bid for cash from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund to regenerate the city centre has not made the grade.

The £35 million bid to create offices and shopping spaces would have been the catalyst for the larger Exchange Court scheme which would see the magistrates court move from the Tyrls to near the Crown Court.

It is disappointing, of course, but every effort must now be made to drive the project onwards with alternative financing.

The regeneration of Bradford city centre must remain at the top of the agenda. Too many projects have stalled or been delayed, and one of the ultimate aims to attract new investment and businesses into Bradford will be an uphill struggle if the many schemes at various stages of development do not dovetail smoothly.

Where that finance comes from is for the Council, its private sector partners and the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, which submitted this bid, to decide.

It may be that the bid is resubmitted for next year’s round of Government funding, or that the Council delves into its own resources – though that would be obviously difficult in the current climate.

As the old saying goes, though, you have to speculate to accumulate, and now it is a case of getting enough people to believe in Bradford to put their money where their mouths are.