Further to Mr Jeffrey's letter (January 5) I would respectfully request that he gives consideration to the following points. Are shops that are currently offering high price sales regarded as rip off merchants for the rest of the year, or is it accepted that intense volume sales of clearance stock, allowing them to reduce prices, is just gratefully received?

Why then should caterers be decried for trying to ensure profitability for just one night in a millennium?

Consider their problem in trying to arrange a night to remember. A selling price must be fixed in advance leaving them at the mercy of certain variable costs. Many would have made provision for a menu better and more extensive than their usual New Year's Eve, tried to gauge the cost of additional staffing over and above their normal workforce, evaluate the cost of transporting staff home and tried to ascertain fixed entertainment charges for bands, discos etc.

Would Mr Jeffrey have worked Millennium Eve for his normal flat rate of pay? If not, why should others?

I believe that in his specified case, the £100 charge was for an extensive menu inclusive of drink, whereas the £35 charge was for a reduced menu with no drinks included. I am sure there would have been cases of exorbitant pricing but please no carte blanche condemnation of the many honourable businessmen who tried to offer value for money.

David H Rhodes,

Keble Park North,

Bishopthorpe, York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.