MIKE Foster has lost no time in reacting to the impending disaster at Kays. Within hours of the news, he has spearheaded a number of initiatives.

Wisely, he has sought to combine the twin interests of labour and capital in seeking to prevent yet more jobs losses in our city.

And prudently, he has made it absolutely clear that his role will be a business one, not political.

This is not the time for ideology, and Mr Foster - wearing the accountant's cap, not the politician's - knows this.

This newspaper stands with him in his titanic struggle.

But if all efforts fail, what then? We believe there are a number of options open to us.

Readers will have noticed the aerial picture we carried yesterday. If the worst came to the worst, have we not - sitting in front of our very eyes - one of the best- placed slabs of real estate in the city?

Indeed, we ask you to take a leap of imagination and picture this site as being ideal for the relocation of Christopher Whitehead High School.

A supermarket could then be built on the vacant school site. Or vice versa.

Such a vision could satisfy those who would like to see a supermarket in a central position on the Westside and, at the same time, allay the fears of those who predict traffic problems.

Perhaps the site could be sold for housing, badly needed in a city that is running out of land.

It's early days yet. But it may be that a silk purse will have to be made out of a sow's ear.