Monstrous arch scars beauty of our canal path

For some months now British Waterways have been carrying out repairs and what they call 'improvements' to the entrance to the Regents Canal towpath on the south side of Danbury Street, Islington. For several weeks at a time the road has been either partly

For some months now British Waterways have been carrying out repairs and what they call "improvements" to the entrance to the Regents Canal towpath on the south side of Danbury Street, Islington. For several weeks at a time the road has been either partly or fully closed.

But only now is the full horror of what they have created visible, as an "entrance arch" reminiscent of the ghastly Hyde Park gates is revealed.

This over-elaborate edifice is thoroughly out of place with its bulky structure in bright shiny metal and huge lettering.

It could not be less in character with the local Victorian houses, canal and towpath of St Peter's. Its insensitive and garish modernity jars, when traditional materials could have blended with the cast iron railings of the neighbouring streets.

We understand that this monstrosity, created on public land, has not received planning permission and that such permission is required.

Can we urge all who use the canal, even if just occasionally, and especially all who attend at the Angel Canal Festival on September 5, to make their views about this known to Islington Council (there is an e-form for e-mail on the Contact Us page of the Council website) or e-mail steve.hitchins@gmail.com to receive a copy of the petition we will submit to the council.

Hopefully we can stop the application from being passed retrospectively and thus oblige British Waterways to tear it down.

Others may know better, but we never heard of any local consultation before this expensive project was undertaken. Perhaps we should enlist Prince Charles to support our campaign! - Steve Hitchins and Sarah Ludford, St Peter's Street, N1.