IF in doubt, rebrand. And never mind if it costs a small fortune or confuses the customer.

Rebranding is a bizarre trend that turns logic on its head. The more established the organisation, so the thinking goes, the riper it is for a change. The more loved and trusted a household name, the more likely it is to be ditched.

Until recently, anyone who wanted to send an item through the post used the Post Office. Now they must consign it to Consignia. British steel was once made by British Steel - not Corus.

In the same vein, anyone looking for a York hotel fit for a king could stay at the Royal York Hotel. Not any longer. Today they must book into Le Meridien.

Meridien hotels are renowned for their quality and news of a £5 million investment in York is welcome.

Bosses at the giant hotel group will justify the name change as part of what its website calls a "global strategic alliance". But no amount of corporate jargon can disguise what is a lamentable idea.

The Royal York Hotel is not an historic name. It is less than 20 years old. But it has evolved with the hotel, rather than being imposed upon it.

Originally christened, with admirable simplicity, the Station Hotel, the royal prefix was added after Queen Victoria blessed the building with her presence.

When the name was updated to the Royal York, the hotel and the city became inextricably linked. Today that unique and important connection has been abandoned, and replaced with the Le Meridien logo, which already applies to more than 38,000 hotel rooms worldwide.

This decision instantly does away with all the qualities that make this hotel special. Its individuality and its links with York, which is not a faceless city but has its own special character and heritage, are swept away.

We urge the top brass at Le Meridien to have a rethink. Their York hotel is special - let's keep the name that way. Especially in the year of the Queen's golden jubilee.

Updated: 12:52 Tuesday, February 12, 2002