THE great and the good have fallen over themselves in their headlong rush to confirm that Worcester's transformation into a university city will bring nothing but prosperity and happiness for all concerned.

Politicians and civic types seem to think that the presence of several thousand more sullen-faced adolescents slouching about with a can of fizzy drink in one hand and an Arctic Monkeys CD in the other will bring about the greatest renaissance since Leonardo was a lad.

In common with most places of similar size across Britain, Worcester's manufacturing base is in terminal decline. This has been caused by a number of factors, not least of which is the present government's impotence over the consequences of globalisation.

Everyone, it seems - apart from our present rulers - knows full well that jobs are migrating eastwards while thousands of jobseekers are heading westwards. We have a low-wage economy, one that is not likely to encourage thousands of students to stay put in Worcester once they are qualified. The most likely scenario is that Worcester will become one huge dormitory for Birmingham. There will, however, be a massive expansion of the retail sector as yet more supermarkets spring up on the city's ever-expanding outskirts.

Meanwhile, the rundown of manufacturing continues apace. But at some stage, the British will have to start making goods again. We can't all be art students or work at the Tesco check-out isn't that right, Worcester MP Mike Foster?