November 9.

I was pleased to read Anne Simpson's excellent report on the

forthcoming Design Renaissance international conference to be held in

the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall next September (November 5).

However, I was disappointed -- no disrespect to Anne Simpson -- that

the report was carried on the Women's Herald page rather than the

Business page. This, perhaps, illustrates the problem facing the design

profession, and the lack of understanding in the media and business

communities that good design is central to the well-being of a

successful economy at the end of the twentieth century.

I have some sympathy with Anne Simpson's fear that the conference may

be dominated by the ''movers and shakers'' of the design community in

London. However, I suspect that the Glasgow design community have only

themselves to blame for this.

The sad fact is that few Glasgow designers play an active part in the

Chartered Society of Designers, many believing that such professional

bodies have little to offer them in their day-to-day struggle to survive

in a hostile economic climate.

The few, like Janice Kirkpatrick, who are deeply involved are to be

congratulated for their success in helping persuade the society's

mandarins in London that this prestigious international conference

should be held in Glasgow.

Let us hope that when the conference takes place next year it will be

well supported by the design profession and the business community in

Scotland, and we do not face the embarrassment of local delegates being

outnumbered by delegates from Japan, Canada, or Denmark.

Glyn Price,

Director,

Russell Design Associates Ltd,

9 Newton Place,

Glasgow.