I WAS saddened to see the article about changing the Market Hall.

As it is at the moment, we have a fine Victorian hall with wide spaces between stalls of varying nature - about as close to an outside market, but inside, as you could get.

Added to this, we have now got the Market Place which was built to match the Victorian look of the original hall from the outside, yet modern inside. The only thing I can remember people complaining about was the lack of public toilets.

This was a good addition as it got rid of an unsightly car park that appeared when an old mill was demolished.

Across Lower Bridge Street there used to be the Co-op building. This was redeveloped and was also given a Victorian look to compliment the Market Hall and retain the original facade that was its Bow Street entrance.

Now what we get proposed is an overgrown fish tank which, judging from the artist's impression, would look about as Victorian as the Manchester Arndale.

If Mrs Ronson and the grey suit brigade want to make some extra money, develop the basement but don't ruin what we already have. Keep all the stalls and the space between them.

Ban the fish tank and keep the open space outside the hall open for general use of the public.

Philip Hennings

Bolton