AM I being over-cynical in asking whether the shifty owners of Terry's chocolate factory will do a deal with the equally shifty city council and do a 'Fred Dibnah' demolition job on the site?

Wouldn't it be well timed to coincide with Royal Ascot at York 2005 to provide City of York Council with much needed space for a convenient car park?

And how convenient for the two- legged beauties and cuties with their top hatted, long-tailed escorts to hop around the corner to the racecourse.

Incidentally, if I were to visit the races in 2005, I would do a Colonel Gadaffi and pitch my own tent on Knavesmire as a protest against the greedy, grabbing hotel owners and others, for cashing in on a memorable occasion.

Ken Holmes,

South Duffield Road,

Cliffe Common,

Selby.

Updated: 11:14 Thursday, May 27, 2004