My wife and I attended the Rose Theatre for a recent performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, which was excellent. However, the first half was marred by a background beeping sound.

Investigation at the break revealed that this was due to window cleaning being carried out at the nearby Crown Court building. The work was being carried out using a ‘cherry picker’ and the beeping was the safety alert, activated every time the lifting arm was in motion.

When questioned, the cleaning contractor stated that the court authority had given permission for the work to be done at this time. One can understand that such an activity would be unacceptable during court operating hours, but surely there should have been better liaison between the court and the theatre to agree a mutual convenient time, or even a delay during the play cycle?

Open air theatres rely on low levels of external noise. This particular incident may well have been an oversight but this is not the first time there has been conflict between the courts and the city authorities over leisure activities on or around the Eye of York, which is a pity because in most respects it is an ideal location.

Richard Carr, Station Road, Upper Poppleton, York