In Venice years ago an old lady impressed on me the importance of preserving, not just St Mark’s Square and its wonders, but also Venezia minore, the harmonious fabric of ‘lesser Venice’. I’m reminded of her by your recent reports of ‘development’ in York.

You reported (The Press, April 12) that York’s sixth Premier Inn will replace the Carpetright building on Peasholme Green. Contracts manager Lyndon Bowler says ‘The old retail outlet brought nothing to the area’, while the new Premier Inn will be a ‘spectacular’ addition. But Carpetright was an unassuming piece of lesser York, where the hotel will be a spectacular mistake.

The same day you reported demolitions on Micklegate to make way for a Supercity Aparthotel. And now I’ve learned that Grade II-listed Mount Royale Hotel on The Mount will close - because of ‘recent competition’. So Premier Inn and Supercity aren’t even filling a need, as they bring more and more people to York to see less and less. True, the jewels in York’s crown will remain. But the crown is disappearing fast.

John Heawood, Eastward Avenue