Sir - Warm congratulations to Patrick Murray and his team of city council officers on their successful bid to the Government for a new centre on the site of the Old Fire Station (Report, April 11).

But councillor Murray needs to update his information if he thinks that established centres like ours do nothing more than provide "a cup of tea and a fag". For a start, all the smoking has to take place outside these days!

And we already offer many of the services outlined in the proposals for the new centre: Internet access, a regular art group, a lively website (homeless.me.uk), reading groups, as well as aromatherapy and podiatry. All at no cost.

Café culture is alive and well at the Gatehouse. Where else can homeless people mingle with internationally acclaimed journalists, grandmothers, retired academics, foreign students and people who have themselves spent time on the streets?

Some of the evidence of this meeting of parallel worlds is to be found in our wonderful collection of writings about Oxford, One City, Many Voices. It sets creative writings by homeless guests alongside original pieces by other Oxford authors such as Philip Pullman, Colin Dexter and Mark Haddon. This book, published four years ago out of our partnership with The Sunday Times Literary Festival, has sold out once already and recently been reprinted. It has raised over £7,000 for Gatehouse funds and is available from Fair Trade at St Michael's or direct from the café in St Michael's Street.

Andrew W Smith, Project Director, Gatehouse