An elementary decision

Sir, - Dr Norman Watson last week restated his “down” on our Perth City Hall, describing it as unfit for purpose as a display venue for presently stored artistic artefacts, with or without the Stone of Destiny – the council’s proposed application evidently intended to further the city’s bid to become cultural capital.

He might be right in that it would not be able to attract enough new visitors to help restore the city centre’s viability, but several applications for city hall have been received – including a commercially-funded fresh food hall proposed by an experienced firm, an offer rejected without apparent good reason by the council.

It now prefers its revival to display art and culture and the building’s adaptation apparently will cost many millions of pounds. The council has been opposed to several plans for its application, stymieing repeated would-be developers.

In fact, the best of both worlds could surely be gained in a building of its capacity by including both a food hall and reestablishing its former functions, adding a visitor centre that could display Perth and Perthshire’s geographical and historical features and forthcoming events, perhaps as an extended tourist information centre.

Finally, can anyone name new buildings in the UK representing an architectural improvement on replaced, previously sound old ones?

No? Neither can we. And so the case against demolition of the Perth City Hall is elementary, my dear Dr Watson. Isabel and Charles Wardrop. 111 Viewlands Road West, Perth.