JOAN Hughes worries that the Barbican was only half full for its opening concert by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra (Letters, May 17).

Not rocket science. The limited audience listening to screeching violins must have thought due to the Barbican’s history they were sitting on the Titanic.

After all the thought, work and money spent on the building, the Barbican has a wonderful opportunity; this will be lost if they put on ex-Butlins cruise ship singers and the like.

The reality is we know Take That are not going to turn up, but quality acts, not just quantity, are needed.

Having just booked for the Undertones plus the 60s show, nothing surer – these nights will not be half full.

Good luck to the Barbican, and also bring back the boxing, in these testing times nothing better than seeing two men voluntarily knocking chuff out of each other.

Also, where are the comedians?

Stuart Sykes, Blue Moon Trading, Goodramgate, York.

• NO WONDER the attendance for the BBC Philharmonic was so low; it was only after reading the review of the concert (The Press, May 16) that I found out what the programme was. The Hallé is due at the Barbican in June; it would help if we knew well in advance what they will be playing.

So SMG (UK), please get the programme in The Press now.

Alan Gebbie, Penyghent Avenue, Burnholme, York.

• I’M sitting down eating my dinner and trying to read The Press at the same time, which isn’t recommended.

As I get towards the end of Mike Laycock’s article on the reopening of The Barbican (“Now it’s official”, May 16) I nearly choke on my peas.

I can’t believe what I am reading; Liberal Democrat acting group leader (that says everything), Carol Runciman, welcomes the reopening, and says: “It is the result of a lot of hard work by the outgoing Liberal Democrat administration.”

What barefaced cheek. Has she forgotten which administration closed the place down in the first place and, in doing so, surely missed a business opportunity?

I’ll have to leave my pudding for now while I search out the dictionary definition of hypocrisy (again)!

G Flakes, Holgate, York.

• THE Lib Dems deserved to loses control of York for two reasons if no others.

First, allowing the Barbican to close in the first place and to lay empty for so many years.

Second, the introduction, at great cost, of those ridiculous FTRs.

It proves again that the maxim: “Never vote for any party which contains any of the words Democratic, Social or National.”

Malcolm J Glover, Lindsey Avenue, York.