The recent article about Bespoke (“Bespoke owners leave Yale property,” Jan. 11) omitted the fact that Yale was willing to grant the owners of the restaurant use of the University property behind their building. Although Yale made that offer to them in writing on numerous occasions, the owners of Bespoke did not accept the offer and refused to disavow any intent to claim a permanent right of passage, something which would interfere with future development of the parking lot site by the University.

In this matter, Yale was simply attempting to be good stewards of the University’s assets. The owners of Bespoke recently sold their property for $1.8 million, demonstrating that, as Yale maintained, they did not need to use of Yale’s property to run their business successfully.

Tom Conroy

Jan. 14

The writer is the deputy director of the Office of Public Affairs.