23 FEBRUARY 1985, Page 19

Sir: Gavin Stamp was very interesting on telephone boxes, but

surely he missed the most important point in favour of the old design. American street telephones are inadequately insulated from the noise made by traffic and passers-by. It is there- fore difficult to hear what the party at the other end of the line is saying. This makes them useless for the purpose for which they, are intended. That is why one would not want them here. Handsome is as handsome does. Surely the new shareholders in Brit- ish Telecom should be allowed some say in the 'image' of their company. Are they not the masters now?

Oliver Nicholson

Hawthornden Castle, Lasswade, Midlothian