A COUPLE of weeks ago June Nelsey, chair of the York Hoteliers Group, expressed her amazement at readers' lack of enthusiasm for Ascot week (Letters, March 16).

She went on to say it was shallow to suggest hoteliers are simply profiteers. Supporting June, Dave Martin of York Incoming stated that, yes, hotels will make money but, there again, so will their staff (Letters, March 25).

The inference being that local people who work at these hotels will be able to plough their hard-earned cash back into the city's economy.

After the latest revelation that hotels and guest houses are tripling their normal rates for this occasion, may we assume the hard-working staff will be receiving similar increases in their hourly rates, thus enabling them to spend more in those "local retail outlets" as described by Mr Martin?

Paul Gledhill,

Acomb Wood Close,

Woodthorpe, York.

Updated: 09:47 Tuesday, April 05, 2005