SIR – What has become of our once famous department store, Brown, Muff's/Rackhams?

Now it is home to many different businesses including a betting office, cash loan shop and yet another bargain shop.

Don’t get me wrong, you can save a lot of money by shopping at these bargain pound shops, but there are simply too many in Bradford city centre.

Poundland in the Arndale Centre is extending into the former Jane Norman shop next door, so Bradford is seeing an expansion in discount retailing.

Leeds, meanwhile, is finishing off its new Trinity shopping centre and is set to welcome an even greater selection of quality shops and no doubt take away even more Bradford shoppers and pull more money out of our local economy.

When will Bradford’s luck change? Another year is set to pass us by without Westfield laying a single brick.

The city centre also needs more independent shops and an alternative retail offer. How are Bradford Council and landlords etc, going to encourage new businesses to fill the many smaller retail units?

City Park was created to encourage new businesses and investment, but that has failed to materialise.

Jack MacPherson, Killinghall Road, Bradford