WHAT is happening to our city? This week we have seen the closure of the Frog Hall pub against the wishes of local residents, read of the planned demolition of the Barbican just as it seemed to be getting some big events, and now the threatened sell-off of Bootham Crescent which is hard to see as anything other than profiteering at the expense of the community.

For too long this has been the pattern: corporate profit driving what is, in effect, civic vandalism. It is time we said enough is enough.

Congratulations to fans organising and protesting to save York City; I hope as many people as possible will get involved in this campaign and win the day.

People should come before profit; our city is not for sale.

Ben Drake,

Danum Road, Fulford.

...CHRIS Titley appears to have missed a number of important points about the Barbican (Shambles over Barbican, January 9).

The council's ultimate aim is to improve the leisure facilities for York residents who have told us they want better and more modern facilities, and that's what they are going to get.

The suggestion of revenge is ridiculous. We are making sure that York has the kind of excellent facilities that it expects and can be proud of for at least the next 25 years.

We are open to new ideas, but we have no intention of losing the things that people value. The Barbican is a great community facility but we know that it needs to be improved.

For example having the sports programme sharing time with entertainments holds them both back.

If we could have dedicated sports facilities that would be a great step forward and free up the entertainments space for much greater use. Only using it as we do on 70 days a year is a real waste.

It's a big task and the council doesn't have sufficient finance available on its own. That's why we're enlisting the help of private sector companies.

We have made it absolutely clear what we want to see in this development and there was no failure to specify the requirements. We have spelt out how we will increase the public's access to facilities.

This is not about closing things down.

We are only too aware that the Barbican belongs to and is paid for by the people of York.

That is why we believe we should move ahead with exciting and imaginative plans that aim to greatly improve those facilities and reduce the cost to the council tax payer at the same time.

Councillor Alan Jones,

Executive member for leisure and heritage,

City of York Council,

St Leonard's Place, York.

Updated: 10:40 Wednesday, January 16, 2002