TONY Blair famously loves his tea, but we have never noticed a KitKat on his saucer.

The Prime Minister's fitness regime probably precludes the simple pleasure of elevenses, and that would explain why he showed little empathy for the plight of York's chocolate industry on his visit to the city.

On Terry's demise, Mr Blair said there was "an emotional as well as a jobs issue there". Too right there was. After 239 years in York the firm folded because Britain has abandoned manufacturing to the "global market". Now Nestl employees are catching the same chill, with more than 200 permanent jobs axed already this year. These workers do feel emotional, Mr Blair, and the main emotion is anger.

The Prime Minister's faith in the market is understandable. Supply and demand economics is his speciality. Supply honours, and demand a few million quid for New Labour, for example?

Whether such a system is the best way to secure a country's long-term prosperity is debatable. What we must do is make it work for York.

That means diversifying the economy. So news that more designer shops are heading this way is particularly welcome.

Six years ago shopping was listed alongside history as a key reason why visitors came here. Last year, however, York was placed near the bottom of the league in one retailing survey.

In the intervening time, Leeds surged ahead in the store wars. But with Zara and H&M already here, Coast and Whistles on their way, and the tantalising prospect of our own Harvey Nicks, a buzz is returning to York's shopping streets.

Updated: 10:53 Monday, March 20, 2006