I ASSURE Mrs Taylor that there was nothing "secretive" or "underhand" about the decision to close the WRVS tea bar at York Hospital (Letters, August 14).

WRVS volunteers were invited to a meeting to discuss this decision a week before it was announced and this was followed up by individual letters to all those concerned.

The initial plans for the new layout of the retail and catering units were put in place by the hospital trust about 18 months ago and, at that time, the WRVS was not involved in the development. Understandably that original design included a WRVS tea bar.

Once WRVS became the tenant of three of the new units it was clear patients and staff could continue to be served from our new location.

A mutual decision, based primarily on practical needs, was taken that the additional tea bar would not be needed.

We shall continue to operate our tea bar just round the corner in the physiotherapy waiting area, and the shop next door in Bootham Park Hospital.

WRVS would like to apologise to any volunteers who felt that this decision was made without prior warning. However, again we would like to assure volunteers that there are now more volunteering opportunities available to them within the new development and our existing projects within the trust.

Simon Branscomb,

National director of hospital services, WRVS,

Milton Hill, Steventon,

Abingdon,

Oxfordshire.

Updated: 10:14 Wednesday, August 20, 2003