The former Odeon/Gaumont/New Victoria building in Bradford is held in high regard by many local people. It holds memories across the generations. The warmth of feeling for the twin-domed landmark can be judged by the outcry which followed proposals by a London-based development company to build a casino, hotel, restaurant and bars on the site - which would almost certainly have meant demolishing the present building.

Since that development company dropped out and Yorkshire Forward bought the property, public opinion has made itself felt. A petition calling for the 1930s structure to be preserved as part of the district's heritage attracted 2,000 signatures. Many other people have made their views clear in letters to this newspaper.

There are two things many of them have said they want: for the Odeon building to remain and for Bradford to have a prestigious new concert hall, preferably created within the existing premises. However, much of the debate has been of a speculative nature. No-one has been sure just how feasible the various proposals might be.

Prospects for a more informed discussion of the future of the Odeon are moving nearer with the welcome news that a team of consulting engineers has been appointed to draw up a detailed report about the possibilities for the site.

Once the options have been laid out - chiefly as to whether the Odeon can be saved as a concert hall or for some other use, or whether it must be demolished and something else built on the site - the debate can begin again, but this time in the light of expert advice.

After all, there would be no point in saving a building just for it to lie empty and rot.