Oh for days of the Mappin and Ruskin galleries where art and craft was taken seriously and a fantastic array of exhibitions were presented by enthusiastic people who genuinely knew their subject.

They managed to combine the educational, inspirational and 'wow' factors.

Now it's is a case of style over substance, where one might assume gallery teams are led by ex-accountants and ex-retailers whose main purpose is to create revenue to house second-hand exhibitions - and, of course, to justify their own existence.

We already have a WH Smith in the city centre and don't need a near replica clogging up the first floor of the Millennium Galleries.
Other city galleries do this relevantly and subtlety. I am saddened that Sheffield City Council spends some of my rates supporting this.
And what of the Christmas craft exhibition, which laughingly purports to present the best of British Craft? The people who know good British craft boycott the place, and once again the opportunity is missed to educate those who don't.

Thank goodness we are relatively close to such beacons as the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, and the varied and challenging exhibitions of the Leeds, Manchester and York Galleries…