5 AUGUST 1972, Page 28

Glib old gentleman

Sir: The lambasting of Sir Basil Spence, OM by Graham Greene, CH (July 15) appeared a petty case of 'the pot calling the kettle black.'

Having, over the years, read a lot of this glib old gentleman's writings, 1 now become more aware of the kind of things which influenced him in his earlier life, namely the rubber-goods shops in and around Charing Cross Road. 1 hold little brief for much of Sir Basil's works but I doubt if he ever had the time to browse around the verge of Soho in search of inspiration, otherwise, like not a few of Mr Greene's writings, his architecture would show more signs of permissiveness.

David J. McIntosh 13 Station Parade, Balham, London SW12