Your "Never heard of the Palace Pier" headline (The Argus, August 23) was most unfair on the new directory inquiries companies.

You are obviously too young to remember the start of the 192 service 47 years ago.

In those days the operator needed to know the town and county because she first had to find which of the many PO directories was needed.

She then manually found the required number. The procedure certainly didn't take eight seconds and it was a free service.

Later, when BT started charging for the service, it was still free from a public phone and I would walk the 50 yards to the local box just to save a few pennies.

The excellent 192 service did not evolve overnight.

All the new businesses take time to settle down but you haven't given them a chance.

Brighton Pier is not listed in the local directory. Nor is the Palace Pier, the West Pier, The Pavilion or Pavilion.

So how could any operator find them? I'll bet 192 would have failed if asked for the above names.

If your man had given them the correct name, Brighton Palace and Pier, doubtless they could have come up with the answer.

By the same token, I am known universally as Bob Metson but I am correctly listed under my proper name of R, for Robert, Metson.

Ask for Bob Metson and no operator will find my number. You give 'em the proper facts, they have the answers.

Granted, I can't explain away Herstmonceux Science Centre.

Oh, and by the way, you didn't mention that One Tel are operating a free directory inquiries service until 2004.

-R Metson, Henfield