Sir – It’s not often I find myself in agreement with your relentlessly self-promoting arts and restaurant critic, Christopher Gray. I had, however, to applaud his attack on modern fads and fancies in the side column to Gray Matter (May 28). Butter and soap amply fulfilled their desired functions for centuries.

On the strength of this, I am almost, but not quite, prepared to forgive Mr Gray the photographs of himself, puffing away, in the full pomp of his moustachioed, bubble-permed young manhood, which he dug out of some old albums and included in recent columns. I trust I, too, am not turning into a grizzled (and grizzly) old grump?

Michael Moorey
West Hendred