The response on the readers' letters page on the subject of the bike hire business beneath Lendal Bridge has been one-sided and does not address the difficulties the council and planning department have in defending the historical integrity of our city.

Although not involved in any way in this case I have, down the years, objected through the planning process to advertising banners, pendants, A-boards on pavements, dire external colour schemes, Mickey Mouse extensions, obtrusive satellite dishes etc which have all appeared within the historical city centre.

The common denominator is usually the male "small business" entrepreneur who fails to see, or chooses to ignore, the sensitivity of the building or environment they occupy and invariably feel they have some right to change things however they want, irrespective of the impact on the building or its surrounding area.

The planning department is continually being challenged by this attitude and their actions save and defend the strong historical presence which still makes our city special.

Take a closer look at the area sloping down to the river next to Lendal Bridge and you can look as if into the pages of a history book. Hopefully it will continue to be so.

J C Bonner,

Huntington Road,

York.

Updated: 10:57 Wednesday, December 03, 2003