Politicians act over fears street is too dependent on drinking

York Council is to develop a strategy to breath new life into the Micklegate area after the closure of businesses in the ancient street, which has been the main thoroughfare into the city centre since the Roman era.

Opposition councillors have expressed growing fears that the area has become too reliant on the string of pubs and bars that line Micklegate and attract hundreds of hen and stag parties who flock to the city from across the country every year.

Two businesses in the street have closed in recent weeks with the loss of the Yorkshire Food Company as well as the long-standing Blake Head Bookshop and Cafe, which had traded in Micklegate for more than two decades.

Coun Sandy Fraser and Coun Julie Gunnell, Labour members who both represent the Micklegate ward, have urged council officers to draw up a detailed strategy to help to rejuvenate Micklegate’s flagging economy.

Coun Fraser, who was behind earlier efforts to get the council to take action, said: “There is a real danger that Micklegate will become a retail wasteland,

“There is too much of a reliance on the night-time economy with the bars and clubs and more needs to be down to reinvigorate the area.

“Something now needs to happen that offers support to existing businesses but also that seeks to attract new ones.

“The businesses themselves must be integral to that from the outset.”

The Micklegate area has long been an epicentre for hordes of drinkers including hen and stag parties, although concerns have been expressed over a growing binge-drinking culture in York.

A council motion was passed three years to help to regenerate the Micklegate area, but Coun Fraser maintained that the project has had only limited success. One of the main achievements has been to keep the Post Office open in the street.

Coun Fraser also called for council officers to look into the possibility of launching a heritage trail to highlight attractions in the area such as the Bar Convent Museum, the Micklegate Bar Museum and a Roman site in nearby Bishophill.

Coun Gunnell added: “The street has a great deal to offer and so much character that it’s a real shame to see it struggling. We have set up a meeting with the council’s lead officer on economic development to agree a way forward.”

But York Council’s executive member for city strategy, Coun Steve Galloway, maintained that efforts were already under way to halt the economic slump in Micklegate.

A city centre development plan which is due to discussed in the spring will include details of how to bring new enterprise to the street and the surrounding area.

But Coun Galloway, who is responsible for overseeing economic growth in the city, admitted that proposals such as creating a pedestrianised zone had been met with resistance from some traders, who feared business from passing motorists stopping off would be lost.

He said: “The council regards Micklegate and the other peripheral streets such as Gillygate as being very important to the city’s overall economy.

“However, there are obviously issues in terms of any makeover with such an historic street that has a large number of listed buildings along it. But we are very aware that new business needs to be brought into the Micklegate area to make sure there is not such a reliance on the pubs and drinking culture.”