Café culture is a boon to city

I WRITE in response to the article (Café curfew, The Press, March 23) exposing the apparent Draconian attitude of some of the City of York councillors on outside pavement café areas.

I implore the business community and residents of the wonderful city of York to wake up and recognise that some of our councillors still live in the Dark Ages. The council is a representative body of the local people, and should not dictate views that are not those of the people who voted for them.

I was personally involved, along with senior council officials, in the mid-1990s in encouraging a legal and controlled café culture in the city of York. Visits were undertaken to other cities and research into noise disturbance and public disorder was trawled from the United Kingdom and parts of Europe.

It is proven that café culture lowers all forms of binge drinking and disorder (people are less likely to cause any problems sitting down).

With the introduction in less than 100 days of England's smoking ban, the council should encourage more café-bar areas and allow outside areas.

Under our new Licensing Act, all licensed premises in the City of York boundary are safe and pleasant venues to visit. Do not allow the council to continue to impose further conditions which will restrict trade and tourism.

The people of York should look carefully to the next elections, and vote to put people on the council who have the foresight that will take this great city into the 21st century.

Name and address supplied.

• I FIND it very disappointing that the council is looking to limit the time pavement cafés can operate Many of us, I am sure, have had the pleasure of eating and drinking outdoors while on holiday - indeed, it is usually more difficult to find an outdoor table than one indoors at most pavement bars and restaurants.

The weather should be no obstacle, whatever the time of year. I spent a very cold, rainy May week in Copenhagen a few years ago and ate outside almost every night with outdoor heaters, café umbrellas and a warm rug from the bar if needed.

This is a tourist city. If we want to encourage pavement café society to flourish we must move with the times. Draconian measures imposed on the very people that make it worthwhile coming into the city centre for a meal in the evening at one of our lovely bars are not the way forward.

I understand that there has to be some limit; but why no breakfast opening?

And surely the council can consider a reasonable closing time, that will allow the café owners to cater for early evening drinkers and diners without causing problems to city centre residents.

Well-run establishments don't cause problems, and if pavement cafés are to thrive it is in the owner's interest to ensure they are well-run.

We need the visitors, we need the jobs these businesses provide and frankly, the Lib Dem council needs to move with the times and allow us to catch up with the rest of European café society.

Sonja Crisp, Labour candidate, Holgate Ward, Emperors Wharf, Skeldergate, York.

Back

© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk