IN response to your front page story headlines "Yes! Yes! Yes!" (June 17), I ask why we are expected place any value on the views of one of the world's leading freeloaders?

I am sure the Duke of York did enjoy his free trip to York and the "pram" ride around the race course with his family, but what he and other Ascot visitors did not witness were the ordinary York residents being seriously inconvenienced to enable a few local "dignitaries" to show off their emperor's new clothes.

York's usually gridlocked roads were indeed free of the normal day- to-day congestion but not because of any great planning feat.

It was because the city's working people either took leave days or cycled or walked to work because they knew they would take second place to the interests of the almighty York Racecourse and the greed and glory creed.

They will also see very little of the fabled "£50 million boost" the event is supposed to bring because I suspect the only real monetary winners will be the racecourse, the bookies and city nightspots.

If anything the shops have been quieter than normal because of the inability to travel freely and I doubt if the "trickle down effect" will greatly boost the pay packet of the average leisure industry worker.

And just how much will this celebration of the British class system cost us?

The time is long overdue for the city leaders to get their priorities right and look after the residents of York who pay the bills and receive little in return.

J C Andrews,

Chantry Close,

Woodthorpe, York.

Updated: 09:42 Monday, June 20, 2005