CITY of York Council is now expected to sell York Theatre Royal for £1 to the York Conservation Trust (The Press, December 27).

This may well be the only solution to keep this building viable, but surely the council has a duty to put the Theatre Royal on the open market and see what other offers, if any, are made.

The deal with the trust looks to have already been agreed in private dealings, but where is the openness and best-value-for-money that we were promised?

Geoff Robb, Hunters Close, Dunnington, York.