Fizz and steam
Sir: In Edward Whitley's article 'Strangled by the old school tie' (13 June), he quotes Eric Sorenson, the Chief Executive of the London Docklands Development Corpora- tion, as saying, 'I have an emotional reac- tion when I hear property developers like John Ritblat of British Land saying that the City of London must be consolidated.'
While I have every sympathy with Mr Sorenson's emotional difficulties, particu- larly in the current climate, I fear he may also be suffering from impaired recollec- tion.
In last winter's issue of Square Mile (pub- lished in February 1992) I wrote: 'At a time when the market was very fizzy, my view was that we needed developments like Canary Wharf to take some of the steam out of the kettle — surplus not glut. In other words, orderly markets require choice.'
I admire the high quality of Canary Wharf and the technical proficiency with which it has been built. The real sadness is that the Government has not supported the infrastructure of Docklands as a whole in a rather better planned and considered form.
John Ritblat
Chairman and Managing Director, The British Land Company Plc, 10 Cornwall Terrace, London NW1
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