HAVING never been certain of the exact boundaries of the Howardian Hills area, I welcome the new signs.

But did anybody design them? Or did somebody in the office simply throw a collection of letters on to a white base?

Typography, lay out and packaging are reputed to be some of the things we do best in this country; annually, hundreds of students, fully skilled in these areas of design, emerge from our art and design schools. (We no longer make anything to go inside the packaging - but that's another story).

On the new signs, the lettering is mean, only just adequately legible - certainly not arresting, and the layout totally lacks any design concept. This is no way to entice visitors into an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Bridget Nuttgens,

Roselea Cottage,

Terrington,

York.

Updated: 10:22 Monday, June 27, 2005