THE comments made by Andy Scaife about goods sold on York's Newgate Market (May 3) would be hilarious if they were not so insulting to the market traders who, in many instances, work up to a hundred hours a week to provide a professional service to residents and tourists alike.

I presume the "rubbish and cheap tat" he refers to includes the mobile phone stall at which my son and I stand seven days a week.

For his information I make the following points.

All goods offered for sale must satisfy the requirements of trading standards and also comply with the Sales Of Goods Act.

Almost all traders buy their supplies from recognised and long-established sources also used by High Street outlets.

As a former group purchasing manager with budgets that ran into tens of millions of pounds, I buy only from suppliers who follow a tangible quality control policy.

It is ridiculous to suggest the market can exist solely on food traders - as excellent as they are.

It is essential to Newgate's survival and future development that trading diversity mirrors the buying public's retail needs of the 21st century.

As for my organisation, we offer the public not only mobile phone covers and other accessories, but also a highly technical, professional service involving the use of intricate electronic equipment and computers which cost thousands of pounds.

It takes years to train and, in such a progressive industry, the learning-curve is ongoing.

After a career in senior industrial management spanning 25 years, I thought I had experienced all I could in ill-informed, banal and puerile rubbish.

Mr Scaife proved me wrong.

Perhaps he would be happier if we reverted to selling leeches.

Ian Ward,

I J Communications,

Mill Lane,

Wigginton,

York.

Updated: 10:11 Thursday, May 06, 2004