THE article featuring Brenda Sempers brought back many happy and riotous memories of the best eating establishment in York during the Sixties and early Seventies (April 2).

I'm talking, of course, about Young's Hotel and the irrepressible host Charlie Price, a character sadly lost forever.

Apart from the copious helpings of the expertly prepared main courses, the sherry trifles were pure magic.

To this day I have still not managed to replicate them. Maybe Brenda could help with the recipe?

After the pudding came the wonderful array of cheeses, then it was up the stairs to retire in the top room with brandies, King Edward cigars, storytelling and various rugby and seafaring songs.

This was the format for the annual works' Christmas dinner from our company nearby and a good time was had by all.

Another character was just up the street at nearby Bootham Bar. He was Pete Madden.

He owned a restaurant-cum-coffee shop by the same name which catered for students, usually lacking in money, my wife being one of them.

I wonder what these colourful characters of yore would make of the sterile, politically correct world in which we now live?

Robert Waite,

Windmill Rise, York.

Updated: 11:19 Tuesday, April 06, 2004