WHAT is to be done with the former Kays site in Worcester? This week marks the first anniversary of the last workers leaving the St John's headquarters of the catalogue giant for the final time.

And 12 months down the line, the debate continues over what will become of the site that once employed almost 6,000 people.

For more than a century, Kays played a vital part in the fabric of Worcester life. When the site finally closed last year, many of those who lost their jobs had never worked anywhere else.

It is because of the importance of the Kays site to the history of Worcester and its citizens that we believe any future use of the huge warehouse site on Bransford Road has to be right for the people of this city.

Today we report how a variety of possible uses for the site are to be discussed by the city council's planning committee.

Among these are a rail halt, helping to bring a jobs boost to the St John's area, and housing.

The council is keen to keep the land for employment while landowners say local people want to see housing on the site.

Kays helped to sustain this city for more than 100 years and it is vital, in our view, that whatever replaces it has the potential to provide similar long-term benefits for Worcester.

Anything less would be a betrayal of those thousands of former Kays workers.