New Year party did disrupt many (From York Press)

Were the proprietors / management of the hotel (and local residents) not forewarned that there was going to be a couple of hours of entertainment laid on in Duncombe Place ? Surely, with experiences of previous years (the gathering in the streets around the West End of the Minster has become a tradition since at least, the turn of the Millenium); the hotel could have informed their guests at the time of booking to expect an element of noise outside that evening. Even if there was no "laid-on" entertainment, there would still have been a huge crowd in attendance, having their own spontaneous fun.

Mr Brookes.....i seem to recall you once saying in an interview that New Years Eve around the Minster was your favourite night of the year, you said you enjoyed the good atmosphere, the merriment and all the other "clap-trap" soundbites that you always refer to.
So what changed this last New Years Eve?
New Years Eve 2011 at the Minster was crap, masses of people just stood around listening to Eddie Vee warble a few tunes, your hotel was doing alright though, the disco for your guests was in full swing prior to midnight, still in full swing into the early hours. Very few left your venue to hear the bells at midnight.
Fast foward 12 months and the council thought it would be a good idea to stick a decent act on to culminate the 800 celebrations.
The band did stop playing before midnight, i heard the countdown and i was stood in Blake St, the band, dj etc finished at 12.30 and the councils road sweeping team swung into action at 1am, by 2.30am you couldnt tell an event had taken place, the only noise was coming from your hotel.
Wait till next year, no concert, no dj but still thousands of people around the Minster, like it or not, people will still gather at the Minster, you and your guests plus the residents of Petergate and Duncombe Place will have to just live with it, just like the last 20 odd years that i have been going there.
Or, move your hotel to Rawcliffe Drive and see how many guests you get during the year, 60 odd paying guests being disturbed against 10,000 council tax residents enjoying themselves....no contest!

Interesting that keepitshut says "no concert" next year.
I hope so!

As for the letter what a moaner.
New Year's eve is pretty much the one night a year where it's carte blanche to make merry in whatever way.
Get off the high horse.

Buzz Light-year wrote:
Interesting that keepitshut says "no concert" next year.
I hope so!

Hello Buzz, i am assuming there wont be a concert next year, i think this years concert was just to end the 800 celebrations on a "high" so to speak.
The problem the council have in providing entertainment of any form is the "shifting" of responsibilities.
For example, if nothing was organised then the Police and Ambulance Service supply officers to police the area, the NHS provide medical cover as it is classed as a "mass gathering"
If the council were to provide entertainment then they would have to pay for Police and medical teams as it would be classed as an "event"
Given the finances of the council it would be safe to say it will probably just go back to how it has always been!

Thank you keepitshut

I enjoyed the minster very much this year, the pauper kings were amazing and the DJ and drummer were very good! Everyone else around me was having a great time, comparing this year to the minster last year it wins HANDS DOWN.

There is always noise at the Minster on NYE with hundreds of people gathering there, the difference in 2012 was that a fantastically talented band were entertaining the crowd for half an hour, and they were off stage well before midnight. People should get their facts right before blaming The Pauper Kings. Stuffy residents and church people 's views don't represent the majority of York citizens. Well done CYC for thinking to end the 800 celebrations in such a great way for the people of York (I don't work at CYC and I am not a Pauper King, just a York resident)