The fiasco rolls on - "Premier inn on Barbican site" (The Press, October 5). We were told, by Lib Dem Councillors, by senior council officers, by York tourist officials and in the High Court by lawyers acting for the developers, that one of the main reasons and attributes of the Lib Dem Barbican scheme was the provision of a "much-needed four-star hotel".

We are now told that this facet of the development is to be taken over by Premier Inns, who are a notable company, but who specialise in "budget" hotels.

The council should now state what steps they have in place to guarantee that the very large Barbican hotel will be four-star graded, as promised. If, however, the hotel turns out to be of the budget variety, then this means that there will two competing budget hotels on the Barbican site.

I wonder if readers might agree with me that two such hotels on this small site would be incompetent planning, especially in light of the fact that the new pool was cancelled in order to make room for the second hotel.

May I also inquire why this council did not put in place adequate safeguards to protect the snooker for York, especially as the deal they gave the new operators was such a good one? That is, a 250-year renewable lease for the centre, which cost £15 million to build at 1989 prices. The price? A one-off payment of £750,000, with no rent payable ever.

Oh, I almost forgot. While the council spokesperson is answering the above questions could he/she please explain precisely how the Barbican centre giveaway is "best value" (as required by law) for York taxpayers.

Ernie Dickinson, Anne Street, York.