My family came to York on Friday October 10 and stopped overnight. We make many trips to this beautiful city, about six times each year. I have been coming to York regularly since 1988 and treat it as my second home.

However, one aspect concerned me deeply during this latest visit. While waiting to board a river cruise boat I decided to make a quick visit to the toilets in Museum Gardens.

I was surprised to find that the council had decided to make them more appealing and safer by removing the nearby bushes, then dismayed when I realised the toilets were shut - until March 2004!

What are the council playing at? Do they expect me not to have to go until next spring? Going to the toilet isn't a seasonal thing,

To treat the local taxpayers and tourists, upon which the city depends so much, with such contempt is an utter disgrace.

If the graffiti is to be believed, the council can find £3.5 million for a totally unnecessary bridge across the river. I could wet myself if it wasn't so serious.

Finally, we visited York Minster and Undercroft. It was so good I wanted to go back but was reluctant to pay again.

Admission should cover two or three days, because one visit - especially with young children in tow - is nowhere near enough time to see the delights of the Minster.

David Lee Fairey,

Peterborough Road,

Lodge Moor, Sheffield.

...WHY are York's public toilets closed so often?

The toilets in Acomb, Nunnery Lane and St George's Field have been closed for long periods.

One Saturday morning an elderly woman and her husband parked in St George's Field car park, she was virtually crying when she found the toilets closed.

It is a long walk from there for an elderly, desperate person to find open toilets.

I know toilets are vandalised - it is a problem in most places - but if the Guildhall or similar places were damaged they would be sorted out quicker than the city's public lavatories.

T Myers,

Lowick,

Woodthorpe,

York.

Updated: 10:24 Thursday, October 16, 2003