I note Marilyn Eckert's disappointment regarding her visit to the Brighton Dome concert hall to see Kiri Te Kanawa (Letters, April 26).

My wife and I went to the same hall on March 16 to see the Last Night of the Spring Proms.

Unlike Ms Eckert, our tickets cost only £29 each and although the evening was reasonably enjoyable the lack of microphones made it practically impossible to hear the conductor introducing each piece.

Additionally, the words of the Pearl Fishers, sung by a duet of males, were almost inaudible because of the loudness of the brass section.

The stairs in the circle were so dangerous I sought out a duty steward and pointed out that where there were no different coloured strips to show the edges on many, it was difficult (especially in the case of elderly people) to know where to step.

The steward assured me he would bring this to the attention of the management.

Further, so long as I can recall, the front row of the circle used to have a low (be it decorative or for safety reasons) brass rail on a plinth which sloped back towards the front row of seats.

This has been altered to slope away from the seats without an edge stop, which means anyone placing a programme or handbag on it would almost certainly see it disappear over the edge to the stalls below.

-R H Read, Culver Road, Lancing