QUIETLY, as is the way with ancient cities like York, there has been a remarkable transformation going on in recent months.

King’s Square has had a makeover, not to everyone’s taste, maybe, but give it time; Newgate Market has been rebuilt, the art gallery promises to wow when it reopens, and plans are afoot to redevelop the entrance to Duncombe Place.

Much of this work forms part of the council’s Reinvigorate York programme, which follows examples set by Bruges and Barcelona and builds on the move to create more pedestrian streets in 1986.

But the city centre is also benefitting from a number of other developments such as Hungate and, at last, a wholesale revamp of the White Swan in Piccadilly.

Since closing in the 1980s the inn’s history has been as chequered as its black and white facade. Famous, locally, for being empty as long as anyone can remember, it is probably the most regularly complained about building by letter writers to this newspaper.

Then in 2003 the Swan was briefly occupied by squatters in response to what they saw as a wasted opportunity. They not only lived there but tidied up, renaming the place the Rainbow Peace Hotel, and inviting the public to view it during an open day event.

Now, the final chapter in the White Swan’s recent history is about to be written and the ending is a happy one. Eighteen apartments will be ready before Christmas and a supermarket has signed up for the ground floor.

This is great news. Hopefully the letters we receive, relating to the building, will be rather more complimentary from now on.