I feel I must respond to A Kennedy's letter (August 21). May I start by mentioning that last year a total of 65 events were held at the Barbican and this year we have already booked 100 events and counting.

The writer refers to two events in particular, David Essex and Jools Holland. Both of these events do appear each year, but only because they both sell-out at an early stage. If they were not as popular they quite simply would not appear and indeed would not tour so extensively throughout the UK.

While the writer refers to the rest of the programme as being mediocre, it surely has to be their own personal opinion. I am sure the 9,000 people who have already purchased tickets for events within October and December would agree with me.

I can only assume that the writer refers to the lack of large pop and rock bands playing the York Barbican Centre. We are currently talking to all the top promoters to try to encourage them to use this venue more often for rock and pop. Please bear in mind we have already played host to the following bands in the past few months - Ocean Colour Scene, Shed Seven, Mike and the Mechanics, Bill Wyman and Van Morrison to name a few.

We are, as the writer says, losing the battle to Leeds, Manchester etc. The reason for this is quite simply population size and the economics which go with it, also the Barbican's audience capacity which cannot compete with the large indoor arenas.

We fully intend to make the Barbican the type of venue which hosts all types of events to suit all tastes. However, as with anything in life, we cannot please everyone.

Craig Smart,

Entertainments manager,

York Barbican Centre

...Mr A Kennedy wrote ".... must we continue to travel to Leeds, Manchester and beyond to see quality acts?" Of course not - well not every time!

May I suggest that Mr Kennedy finds his way to this pleasant town of Tadcaster (so near to York) during the week 18 to 23 October, and he could visit the Riley-Smith Hall, a building of which local people are very proud.

There, he will be able to attend a quality live show, the musical comedy Anything Goes. This will be staged by Tadcaster and District Amateur Operatic Society for their 1999 annual production. A live entertainment not to be missed.

Especially so if Anything Goes will be of the same high standard as the previous shows produced by the society at the Riley-Smith Hall over the past 50 years, and which enabled Tadcaster to lose its hitherto "cultural desert" image!

Ida Mary Goodrick,

Woodlands Avenue, Tadcaster.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.