I am writing as a Bristol resident and writer/artist to the cover story in the arts section of the Guardian, September 11, and ire expressed by Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack for I too "want to change the way people look at our city".

I am also responding to the editorial in the weekend's Post – "we must all be proud of Colston Hall".

Like Del Naja, I deplore the rebranding of our publicly funded cultural arts building: Colston Hall.

£20 million of public arts money spent, to seemingly confer respectability on an 18th century slave trader, who was key in opening up slaving markets to Bristol merchants.

The fixation of the Colston name in streets, almshouses and private schools I can live with, but the continual endorsement of the Colston name on ticket purchases, stationery, letterheads etc, places him as an ambassador of our city's cultural arts. This I find despicable. I want to know how exactly does a symbol of unfettered capitalism's greed, human exploitation and humiliation in all its insidious forms fit into our cultural leaders' strategic vision for Bristol's cultural arts aspirations for promoting equality, social cohesion and inclusion?

That this situation has persisted is an aberration, an amoral anachronism of the 19th century to my mind. What is conspicuous is the silence from cultural leaders in Bristol on this issue. Given that our cultural arts venue has a role to play signalling to the outside world who we are, what we are and the vision we have of the world, the promotion of the Colston name for culture on behalf of ALL Bristol's citizens is pitifully lamentable, divisive and disgraceful.

The rebranding of Colston Hall, aided and abetted by collusive silence, from city cultural leaders bequeaths an amoral legacy for the city.

The reins should be given over to the young to decide, as the custodians of Bristol's future. Let them find out about Colston, and the role of arts in the public realm. Let them debate in their schools the appropriateness of the Colston name as a cultural ambassador for Bristol's future generations and their city. Without this, I fear, much like the construction of the M32 on inner-city communities in its midst; the Colston Hall legacy will endure as socially divisive. We deserve better in Bristol.

Ros Martin, Writer, artist, creative producer, St Andrew's.

I wonder just how much longer, those innocent or ignorant of history, are going to continue complaining about "Bristol, Colston and slavery"?

If they had paid a little attention at school in their history classes, they would be aware that, with the possible exception of the Esquimaux, every country, nation and race on this planet has had its civilisation based on slavery in some form or another.

Bristol is/was not unique in this – far from it! This was the norm for many centuries, from the great and ancient Chinese empire up to WW2. Some countries treated those enslaved well, others harshly and others with sheer brutality, but that was the normal behaviour in those places in those times.

Bristol did not invent slavery, as some would have us think; it just behaved as was normal at the time. It traded, as was usual, in a variety of products, and as was often, was the middle man in the businesses. The "manufacturers" of African slaves were other African tribes who captured them, in battle, and sold them on to the Arab dealers, who were the wholesalers. They in turn, sold them on at the ports to the retailers.

Just because today we feel and believe differently, we cannot rewrite history, nor should we try to. Our forefathers lived their lives according to the mores and habits of their time, as we do in ours. That these differ, is no reason to "apologise" for our ancestors.

David E.Hockin, Portishead.

The opening night of Colston Hall goes down as one of the best in the recent history of this fine city! Biggest congratulations must go to those responsible for the building, to those who organised the musical programme, to the incredibly energetic and creative performers – and to us, the citizens of Bristol who came out in our thousands to celebrate in such an enthusiastic way.

There was a fantastic atmosphere as we moved around from floor to floor to take in the different musical events. It was thrilling to be part of the power of the evening.

I can't remember when I last saw so many people joyous and smiling. It was Bristol's night out for 2009! My six hours at the event weren't nearly enough to see it all.

Some cynics have said over the years that 'Bristol is the graveyard of good ideas'; this enormous new effort and creative output puts a nail in that coffin once and for all.

Roll on with stage two of the revamped main auditorium!

Mark Vaughan, Redland.

I am very disappointed with the foyer of the Colston Hall. Millions have been spent on it, but still we have a small outdated hall which needs modernising.

I couldn't care less about what a foyer looks like. I was amazed there were no escalators only lifts. I for one will never go in a lift so will be struggling up many floors via the stairs if I can be bothered.

The ticket office also is up many stairs and you feel like giving up before you start up them. As a pensioner it won't be easy with no escalator, however, on a positive note I can see the foyer will be loved and used by the public, but for me a waste of money.

Name supplied, Fishponds.