Articles in The Press by York Civic Trust officers Andrew Morrison and Duncan Marks are always worth reading and thinking about.

Instructive and accessible, their pieces shine a light on many aspects of York’s heritage, conservation and history.

No surprise then that I found Dr Marks’ latest contribution to The Press (‘Is putting on a front skin deep?’, August 13) fascinating and thought-provoking.

‘Facadism’ is a new word to me, but then I don’t get out much. Not to be confused with Mussolini’s brand of politics, it’s seemingly a clever solution to a challenging problem in such a sensitive location as York: that of how to keep the appearance of a significant building in a streetscape whilst radically altering its purpose with a new, modern structure lurking behind, ready to serve the 21st Century.

I hope I got that right. It’s a solution that fits snugly in the ‘cunning plan’ pigeon-hole.

The Banana Warehouse in Piccadilly is a featured example in the article. Perhaps it should be rebranded the ‘B Warehouse’, just retaining the frontage!

I suppose potential pitfalls might include a strange hybrid of a building or a quasi-film set. The practice might be carried too far. As an accomplished non-expert, I can, nevertheless, see why opinion amongst the experts is divided.

Derek Reed, Middlethorpe Drive, York