HEADLINES over the past few months have been dominated by cutbacks.

We have seen cuts to jobs, public services and private investment.

So the news plans to redevelop Oxford’s Westgate Centre are moving forward could not have come at a better time for our beleaguered traders.

And the icing on the cake may seem to be the new – and unexpected – idea of a cinema at the centre of the scheme.

At face value it is a curious idea, given that the city centre already has two large, well-established cinemas.

Most of the shoppers we spoke to seemed to question whether there was a need for another cinema.

We wonder if one of the existing cinemas could move to the Westgate site, opening up valuable city centre land for another development.

The key to economic recovery is confidence and that is just what today’s news brings.

The city council and the developers must do their best to keep city folk updated about the scheme to keep that momentum going.