I feel no need to justify myself to a minor trade body, but Mr Johnson's remarks made as the chairman of the Licensed Victuallers' Association about the suitability of Fibbers, require a studied reply (Evening Press, May 11).

Mr Johnson considers the local youth to be "gullible". I consider them to be intelligent, discerning and quite capable of identifying poor value. The public is not to be underestimated and this may be why The Fibbers Group is successful.

Fibbers is probably the only licensed premises in the city that does not run drinks promotions of any kind. We do not have Happy Hours, £1 a bottle or pint, doubles for the price of singles or specific spirits nights. Nor does any of our advertising mention alcohol.

Even the blackboards outside major on music and food. Our award-winning website is the same.

We take our responsibility concerning underage drinking more seriously, and to greater effect, then anywhere else. We take more precautions than any other outlet in the city - ask the youngsters, and their parents and teachers, and they'll tell you. As for a "marketing ploy", we weren't the ones who rang the media.

Seventeen years ago, I transformed a run-down seaside pub in to far and away the busiest outlet in the town. The local LVA finally invited me to one of their meetings - but only as an "associate" who was unable to speak or vote on any issues.

Things haven't changed and I respectfully suggest that the public and media urgently review the way in which they regard this particular LVA chairman as a spokesperson for licensees and the trade.

Tim Hornsby,

The Fibbers Group,

Harrogate.

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