SIR: Two years ago when shopping in Winchester I used to call into the Refectory for a light lunch. The surroundings were ideal. You could sit out in the courtyard among the tables and chairs or in the back garden. If the weather was poor then there were plenty of tables inside.

In winter time I liked to have a light warm lunch consisting of a baked potato with a side salad plus small tomato. In addition you would have two small ramekins one with grated cheese and one with prawns. This with a coffee for £8 just what I needed. In this way I could pass a pleasant hour before carrying on with my shopping.

Two years ago a new chef was appointed. His first action was to remove the ramekins and plonk the cheese and prawns on top. Well anybody concerned with the preparation of food will tell you presentation is all. It became clear this new chef was intent in reducing washing up.

I wrote to complain and received a letter from a man appointed by the Cathedral. He was in chare but had no experience in running a food preparation area. Worse still he let the new chef do as he liked.

Fast forward two years and I decided to see what the situation was like today. Well all that is available today were a small range of cakes, pastries and scones. I finished up with a scone and coffee. However, the scone was tasteless.

In past times there was a warm atmosphere in this place but today it seems cold and cheerless. How long I ask myself will it take for people running the Cathedral to wake up to the fact that they need a new chef who can offer a better range of food? Why not offer customers two types of soup? Very satisfying on a cold day. In winter bring back the baked potato with separate dishes.

Certainly the present chef has done everything to reduce washing up. I dread to think how low the turnover has fallen although the rates will have stayed high. How long before the Cathedral wakes up to the situation I wonder?

Mr D.O Wilkins,

Rusland Close,

Chandler's Ford