SIR - My memories of Busby's, apart from the magic of its grotto, are of the mouth-watering aromas of its restaurant and the attentiveness of the genial, silver-haired Austrian head waiter who made each child feel special as he lifted them onto raised chairs.

Then there were the blue budgerigars occupying two cages in the children's dept. If you were lucky they might talk to you.

Also on this floor was a full grown Bengal tiger, a masterpiece of the taxidermist's art. The bullet hole was clearly visible in its head.

In the hosiery dept, sitting on top of a showcase, was a full-sized stuffed brown bear attempting to don a sock, advertising Bear Brand products. I wonder where the tiger and bear found a home after Busby's closed.

The ladies working in the perfume and beauty departments used to alarm me. They did not look human with their brightly-painted faces looking as if they would crack any minute.

And, oh, the wonder of the toy dept down in the basement, a veritable Aladdin's cave where we children could only look and long because Christmas only came once a year then and not every week as today.

Elaine Neale, Gordon Terrace, Idle