HAVING been a TV fan of the Coral UK Championships at the Barbican for many years, I have been puzzled by the reaction of the crowds at this year's event.

There doesn't seem to be any atmosphere at all in the auditorium and this week when the players made their entrance after been introduced, not a single clap could be heard. Can anybody tell me if the crowd have been told to restrain all applause?

Even some of the wonderful shots that have been played by the players, shots that would usually receive a loud applause, have been greeted with silence. I fear for the future of this snooker event in York if nothing is done to change this.

Ronnie O'Sullivan said this week that: "It is like tennis champion Roger Federer being asked to play on court 13 at Wimbledon in front of three men and a dog."

Even the format has changed again, with four tables and eight players playing at any given time, and the tables had to be changed because the balls were not running on a true line as they should.

All these problems at the second most important tournament in the snooker year really leaves one snookered, I fear.

Sean Atkinson, Gillygate, York.