26 FEBRUARY 1994, Page 29

Owning up

Sir: The letter from Michael Cole of Har- rods (Letters, 12 February) alerted me to a serious error in my article on his employer, Mohamed Fayed ('Rubbing shoulders with the Queen', 5 February). In referring to the lavish hospitality that Mr Fayed has dis- pensed to my more gullible journalistic col- leagues, I inadvertently elevated them to the Third Estate. They should, of course have remained in the Fourth.

John Plender

Financial Times, 1 Southwark Bridge, London SW1