Letter: Sculpture brings good luck to Bow

Sir: It is to be hoped that Bow Neighbourhood Council is beginning to realise, from the enormous amount of interest that has been generated by Rachel Whiteread's sculpture 'House', what an extraordinary piece of good luck has befallen it.

Without commission, without cost and without a team of town planners, one of the most significant public sculptures of recent years has simply emerged in the council's brand new park. It is a once-in-a-lifetime gift that a thousand towns and cities across Europe would seize readily.

Yet, with undisguised relish, the chair of the Parks Board (Letters, 5 November) has indicated that the decision to demolish 'House' will go ahead.

It hardly needs to be repeated that this is a major work - probably a masterpiece - by a young British artist (and Turner Prize nominee) with an impressive body of work behind her and a brilliant future ahead.

Bow Parks Board, with its excellent rejuvenation of Victoria Park, has already shown what it can do. Now, if it is bold, it has the chance to give the East End a landmark which would undoubtedly become a 'must see' in every guidebook to London.

Yours sincerely,

TIM NEILSON

London, E9

12 November