THERE are winds of change blowing through Worcester. What began only a short time ago as an almost imperceptible breeze has now gathered strength. It is a force that is about to roar through our city's mediaeval streets, sweeping away the old and bringing in the new.

It is particularly apt that there should be so much promise for the future as the festive season begins and we prepare to say farewell to an eventful year. For the latest revelations about the Faithful City's promised makeover fill us with optimism, hope... and not a little seasonal joy as well.

It's been an eventful few weeks. The plan for a lighthouse on the riverside has already caught the public imagination - and this newspaper believes that the bold design for a civic space cascading down to the Severn's edge will also whet the appetite, too.

Yes, we realise that much depends on Lottery cash. But it does seem that the wheels now set in motion will soon become an unstoppable force for the better.

Worcester is ripe for change. The dereliction of the immediate post-war period gave way to the destruction of the 1950s and 60s. Sometimes, it seems that we have lamented the developers' folly for such a long time that we are powerless to bring about change. Nothing could be further from the truth. Worcester must seize every opportunity to create an environment that is worthy of one of the most historic cities in the Midlands. There is everything to gain and nothing to lose.