BY far the worst building to have been built within sight of the city walls since Ryedale House is the new Mecca bingo hall. It is out of scale with its surroundings, shapeless and dull.

However, judging by the artist's impressions in your Business Press supplement (January 27) it is about to be eclipsed in spades by the new-look Barbican Centre.

This picks up all the bad points of the Mecca and enlarges them fiftyfold. No wonder the artist decided to show the view from the corner of Heslington Road and Cemetery Road at night. I am surprised it was not shown during an impenetrable fog.

The city walls will be dwarfed by it and their impact will be lost. This building will be seen from all over the place in the most unfortunate ways, just as Ryedale House is.

If Coppergate II was unacceptable because of its effect on York's historic core, then this proposal must be rejected for the same reasons.

Nick Derbyshire,

South Esplanade, York.

Updated: 10:53 Thursday, January 29, 2004