SIR - The current trend here in Bradford is for its residents to shop elsewhere.

When one looks back, growth that has occurred outside Bradford has affected the city enormously.

Out-of-town shopping developments built throughout the 1990s such as Owlcotes, Meadowhall, White Rose Centre and Trafford Centre, plus the growth of Leeds, have taken a lot of trade away from the city centre.

This has resulted in Bradford losing some of its best-known stores such as Rackhams, Bryars, Jackson's and Chadwick's.

Because there is a lack of modern retail space in Bradford some stores have moved out to Forster Square retail park, including Next and Mothercare.

Wallis and Principles are now present within Outfit as are Warehouse and Miss Selfridge who lost their concessions when Sunwin House closed.

If Forster Square had been developed as a new shopping area rather than a retail park, Bradford would have fared better and coupled with the yet-to-be-constructed Broadway development, the city would have become a real shoppers' paradise.

Jack MacPherson, Killinghall Road, Bradford