The new-look for Oriel Place 

• THE “tidying up” of Oriel Place in Hampstead, with its nice new paving stones surrounding the magnificent ancient tree, seems to have entailed removing some of the existing rambling greenery, hence leaving the space unnecessarily manicured and sterile, (Oriel oasis: Ribbon cut on new ‘place to meet’ in Hampstead, May 20).

Still, presumably, Camden Council’s own planners didn’t design the revamp, or they’d have chopped the tree down too.

ALBERT BEALE
Little Russell Street, WC1