Sir - It seems the arts carry little weight with the mass of cultural degenerates holding sway in this country.

Feeling like David Widdowson (Letters, January 2007), I wrote last year to The Oxford Times about the need for a new Oxford concert venue.

A reply from Michael Knox, of Witney, rather confused me. Did he imply failure to appreciate good music if I were unable to display stoicism in the face of the discomfiting slings and arrows of the Sheldonian Theatre? Or did he sympathize with my decision to quit the ST, where lack of comfort and dignity outweigh the possibility of concentrating on music?

I was advised kindly by Jack Ward, of Sutton Courtenay, to look to Birmingham, where I would be able to enjoy first-class music in a world-class concert hall.

Most of my concert going was during the 1950s-80s in London. These days we (not the royal 'we', more the Chris Gray and Rosemarie) are not too inclined to visit occupied London.

London has become a city of violence, garish distractions and concealed snares for the unwary (though I note super-security around Parliament Square). Moving through the untidiness and degradation of Livingstone's Londistan, we face increased opportunity to contract food poisoning, run across a rapist, a pickpocket, or even the odd knife-wielding, gun-toting, drug-crazed mugger. So it's either build me an Oxford concert venue, or I'll buy plenty of CDs with money saved by staying home. There, I can dream safely of what was, what might have been, and what never will be.

If readers consider me unduly pessimistic, they might ponder why Quality of Life Survey placed Britain 37 in the entire world, or why the recent Unicef report put UK bottom of developed nations in which to bring up children!

Stephen Ward, Oxford