Christmas market could 'spread' after parking row

A popular Christmas market could "spread out" in future after complaints about overcrowding and a lack of disabled parking during the event.

The St Nicholas Fair in York attracts thousands of visitors and this year will run from 14 November until 22 December.

Blue Badge holders have raised concerns that they are not able to park close enough to the market and City of York Council is reviewing provision for them.

The decision to remove the disabled spaces was originally taken to reduce the risk of a terrorist attack on the area, but is unlikely to be reversed this year.

Disabled parking in Blake Street and Goodramgate will be suspended between 10:30 and 19:00 for the duration of the almost month-long event due to what the council called "public safety grounds".

Councillor Kate Ravilious said that while she supported exploring changes to parking restrictions for future events it would not be "straightforward".

Conservative councillor Chris Steward said current arrangements meant the fair had to be crammed into Parliament Street - while Labour’s Jane Burton said overcrowding was becoming "dangerous".

Council transport lead James Gilchrist told a committee meeting that the move had been recommended as a precaution against potential terrorist attacks.

However, disability rights activist Flick Williams told councillors that it meant she and others would see their access to goods and services in the city centre restricted for "weeks".

“Loneliness is felt by many and most acutely at this time of year, but this time around there’s no talk of mitigation beyond car parks which are too far away.

“After years of exclusion - many disabled people had settled into routines that took them away from York, they’re now been forced to do so again,” she added.

Councillors who were reviewing Blue Badge holder access to the city centre were told officials would look at the way the Christmas market was run in future.

They also heard how tourism body Make It York had made alterations to the event's layout last year in response to concerns about overcrowding in 2022.

Ms Ravilious said that reversing the suspension for the 2024 markets would be too "costly and complex" because the arrangements had been decided months previously.

"We’re absolutely committed to Blue Badge access and I have every desire to spread the market out so it’s not as concentrated.

“But there will then be a different kind of terrorism risk associated with having the market outside of hostile vehicle measures.

"It isn't going to be simple to just spread it out because the whole point of having hostile vehicle measures to keep people safe."

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