Letter: Learning or luxury at County Hall

Sir: Your leading article (6 August) and letters you have since published (10 August) suggest that our client, Mr Shirayama, wishes to 'gut' County Hall. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our brief, as reported elsewhere, is not only carefully to preserve everything that is good about the building, but to remove cheap Seventies alterations so that the original splendour of County Hall is re-created.

The hotel will be for families and be reasonably priced, with many additional facilities such as a children's education centre, a health club and a chapel. Anyone who understands hotels will know that the building is much too large to provide 'five-star luxury' as has been suggested.

Yours faithfully,

GEOFF MANN

RHWL Partnership

London, WC2