Letter: Bankside would be a beacon of culture

Sir: How terribly sad that Lawrence Hansen, writing in his capacity as Director of the Southwark Environment Trust (letter, 5 November), considers that it would be 'backward-looking' and 'necrophilic' of the Tate to adopt Bankside power station as the home for its modern art collection.

Refurbished, cleaned and lit in the same dramatic manner as the Lloyds building, Bankside would make a stunning beacon of culture among the commercial dross of that part of the Thames. Surely that is preferable to more unwanted office space, which will not benefit local residents one jot?

Mr Hansen must realise the value of retaining the best of the old along with the new; despite its existing heritage of great buildings, London has lost many to those who consider industrial architecture 'depressing' and 'gloomy'. Remember the Firestone factory, Battersea power station, the London docks?

Let the Tate have Bankside, and rejuvenate an awe-inspiring building to provide some much-needed refinement to the Southwark desert.

Yours faithfully,

C. M. ROGERS

Edgware, Middlesex

7 November