HAVING just more or less completed the fabulous York Science & Innovation Grand Tour 2012, I note we pride ourselves in this fair city of having had living among us mere “common mortals” the likes of genius Henry Hindley, 18th-century clockmaker and maker of precision scientific instrument.

So why, oh why then can we still not produce public clocks that can tell the time? Hardly any timepieces in our city are giving the correct information – that’s if you are lucky enough to find one in the first place, as they indeed are far and few between. Difficult to believe our main income now is from tourism.

What must our visitors think? Almost anywhere you go in continental Europe time does not stand still, showing all and sundry they are open for business at all times, they are “switched on”, often displaying digitalised timers in addition to more traditional clocks, giving you accurate temperature readings, too. Will we ever catch up?

Barbara Hudson, Eastfield Crescent, York.