I am usually a big fan of The Argus but was astonished to see such prominence given to the story about council staff attending an international trade fair.

Far more disconcerting is the fact that our city is served by councillors so naive in business matters as Mark Barnard so obviously is.

I am a self-employed book designer but for many years worked for a children's publisher.

Our company was always working to tight budgets and we thought we had done well if we got change out of £20,000 for having a cupboard-sized stand at the Frankfurt or Bologna international book fairs.

Last year, I tried to get a flight to the Bologna fair. For that week, prices of the cheapest flights and hotels had increased sixfold and involved timings and transfers that were impossible without extra nights in expensive accommodation.

And this so-called "junket" also involved the hire of a stand at the trade fair? They did well to do it for £3,497. Presumably, the officer slept in a corridor and took his own sandwiches.

Our city relies on tourism for thousands of jobs and I would have thought we should be applauding the tourism department's initiative in working to reach an international audience.

-Jane Hawkins, Princes Terrace, Brighton