SOULLESS?

Recognise this city? You should. This is what epitomises Worcester according to the new Lonely Planet guide to Great Britain.

The description - which goes on to say it is an "effort" to find the finer charms - will be read by thousands of potential visitors worldwide.

It has sparked anger amongst tourism officials in the city who claim it in no way reflects what the Faithful City has to offer. Andrea Watkins, tourism and marketing manager at Worcester City Council, said Worcester attracts around 2.5 million visitors every year.

"We get very complimentary responses from tourists who say that one of the best things about it is that it is not a soulless, concrete jungle," she said.

"There is such a lot of character - you only have to look at areas like the Hop Market, Reindeer Court, Friar Street and New Street. I don't rate the comments at all." The guide goes some way to redeem itself by adding that "underneath the ugly faade" lies some stunning Tudor and Georgian architecture and a magnificent cathedral.

The Dean of the cathedral, Very Rev Peter Marshall, said he was pleased the guide pointed out some of the building's important aspects such as the Norman crypt - which is the largest in the country - and the 12th Century circular chapterhouse. "Hopefully this will negate some of the less positive things that have been said and draw people to the city to find out the good points for themselves," he added.

Millions of pounds are being spent on regenerating parts of Worcester, making it an even better place to live and visit and far from the "soulless" city described by Lonely Planet.

Waterfront homes, pleasant tree-lined boulevards, a hotel, restaurants and pubs within a public square are part of the proposed plans for the regeneration of the former Royal Worcester Porcelain Severn Street and Portland Walk sites in Diglis. The £1.25m redevelopment of Worcester's High Street is due to be completed on Saturday.

A new UCW campus on the former Castle Street Royal Infirmary site is set to create an additional 3,000 full-time student places

Thousands of jobs could be created if proposals for three business parks - one at Grove Farm on the western city boundary, one near Worcestershire Royal Hospital off Newtown Road and one at the old hospital site in Ronkswood - get the go-ahead

The Lowesmoor area is due to be redeveloped with a multi-million pound shopping centre, offices, restaurants, apartments and a hotel among the options.

An English county of contrasts

A COUNTY of remarkable contrasts, Worcestershire marks the faultline between the bucolic idyll of rural England and the industrial sprawl of the English Midlands.

The flat plains of the north and east of the county offer little in the way of attractions, but the beauty of the undulating Malvern Hills to the south was enough to inspire Sir Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations.

The Hills offer wonderful walking opportunities and are home to the genteel Victorian resort of Great Malvern. Right in the centre is the regional capital, Worcester, with a magnificent cathedral and some beautiful Elizabethan and Tudor architecture.

The Cathedral is given top marks

DOMINATING the centre of the city, Worcester Cathedral encapsulates a medley of different styles that displays renovators' skills down through the ages, says the guide.

Begun in 1084 by Bishop - later Saint - Wulfstan, the Cathedral boasts the largest Norman crypt in the country and a beautiful choir and lady chapel in 13th-century Early English style. Other highlights include an impressive 12th-century circular chapterhouse (one of the first of its kind) and some splendid Victorian stained glass.

Wicked King John of Magna Carta fame is buried in the choir (apart from his thumb, which was nicked as a souvenir). Knowing he stood only the flimsiest chance of making it through the Pearly Gates, the dying king asked to be buried disguised as a monk.

If you're fit and fond of a view, there are tours up the 249 steps (60m) of the tower for £1.50. To really appreciate the splendour of the Cathedral, come for evensong; it's held at 5.30pm Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and at 4pm Sunday.

Planet's thoughts on Worcester

SMOTHERED by modern architectural blunders and possessed of a rather soulless centre, you do have to make an effort to find the finer charms of Worcester. However, underneath the ugly faade lies some stunning Tudor and Georgian architecture and a magnificent cathedral. The city is also home to the factory works of the world-renowned Royal Worcester Porcelain Works.