Lost in York... where’s the Minster? (From York Press)
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Lost in York... where’s the Minster?
8:09am Saturday 29th December 2012 in News
By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter
Sam Farooq, at her desk at the Visit York Information Centre, with York Minster through the window behind her
Where’s the Minster? That’s one of the commonest questions asked at York’s tourist information centre – situated almost in the shadow of the towering cathedral, as Mike Laycock reports.
SAM and her colleagues have heard it all. After working for a while at Visit York’s Information Centre, very few questions now faze them.
But even so, the occasional question does cause them to raise a polite eyebrow.
Such as: Is there a train to Canada? Or: Are you in the same time zone as London? And: Do you have an underground?
And then there was the tourist who asked whether they could catch a boat to travel to Leeds.
Sam, a visitor services assistant, says that with visitors coming to York from all over the world, it isn’t surprising they take a while to get their bearings. And there can sometimes be additional problems of interpretation – even with visitors who have only travelled 80 miles or so from the north-east.
Sam says a visitor with a strong North East accent came in one day and asked a colleague: “Can you tell me where the stripper clubs are?”
Her colleague started to explain that York wasn’t a city over-supplied with striptease outfits. It then emerged she was actually looking for the “strip of clubs”.
But the question which most regularly pops up is: Can you tell me the way to the Minster?
All Sam and her colleagues have to do is point out of the window at a huge Gothic building which happens to tower over the other end of Duncombe Place.
Sam stresses that she and her colleagues don’t mind what questions visitors ask – it’s their job to help no matter what they ask.
She says she and the team enjoy ensuring everyone gets the most out of their stay and knows everything there is to see and do in York – and how to get there.
Comments(24)
yorkborn66
says...
11:30am Sat 29 Dec 12
Where are the public toilets? (Try explaining and directing foreign tourists to Silver Street is a joke.
Are those the Bar Walls?
Can you tell us where the “Brambles “ are? (Shambles)
pedalling paul
says...
11:53am Sat 29 Dec 12
bob the builder
says...
12:20pm Sat 29 Dec 12
yorkborn66 wrote:Been asked about loos but since the splash palace went I've no idea where the replacements are so I send 'em to Browns!
Most common questions I get asked are:
Where are the public toilets? (Try explaining and directing foreign tourists to Silver Street is a joke.
Are those the Bar Walls?
Can you tell us where the “Brambles “ are? (Shambles)
bloodaxe
says...
12:43pm Sat 29 Dec 12
bob the builder wrote:Railway station.
I get asked where the train station is regularly when stood on Coney St and Micklegate
GILLHANCOX@HOTMAIL.CO.UK
says...
12:45pm Sat 29 Dec 12
GILLHANCOX@HOTMAIL.CO.UK
says...
12:47pm Sat 29 Dec 12
Buzz Light-year
says...
1:38pm Sat 29 Dec 12
pedalling paul wrote:I'm a resident and I didn't know that.
Amazing how many visitors don't realise that the P&R buses operate a one way loop in the city centre. I often get asked where they should rejoin the bus to leave the centre. When I tell them it's the same stop that they alighted at, I don't half get some odd looks.............
Mind you I would NEVER get on a First bus.
Woody G Mellor
says...
1:54pm Sat 29 Dec 12
was york now rotherham
says...
1:55pm Sat 29 Dec 12
Older Sometimes Wiser
says...
2:06pm Sat 29 Dec 12
It could be embarrassing if too many of us did this, but many tourist cities have unofficial resident guides. This can be ideal for retired residents with some time to spare.
The comments on public toilets are all too true. It is ridiculous that this is not seen to be a priority by the City Council and York's Tourist Authority, and ."Find the loo?" should not be the game that identifies York on the UK tourist map!
Woody G Mellor
says...
3:00pm Sat 29 Dec 12
Two American tourists stood looking at the side of St Michael Le Belfrey church. One said to the other " Gee, is that the Minister?"
Sigh.
bolero
says...
3:56pm Sat 29 Dec 12
pedalling paul wrote:Amazing how many Yorkies don't know their own town. Try this on the No.9-Monks Cross. And the lady who was going to the `north-East` for the day asked if Newcastle is bigger than York. Ever been in John Lewis's in Newcastle? York would be lost in the haberdashery dept.
Amazing how many visitors don't realise that the P&R buses operate a one way loop in the city centre. I often get asked where they should rejoin the bus to leave the centre. When I tell them it's the same stop that they alighted at, I don't half get some odd looks.............
StephBlah
says...
4:01pm Sat 29 Dec 12
Osbaldwick Lad
says...
5:35pm Sat 29 Dec 12
TT
says...
10:48pm Sat 29 Dec 12
Older Sometimes Wiser wrote:In total agreement with you. Let us put ourselves in the middle of a foreign city, not speaking the language. We would be pleased to have someone to help. Saying that, most Europeans have a better command of the English language than the English do !
Can I suggest that you do as I have done for some years,carry one or two spare copies of the latest tourist guide in your pocket or bag. If you see someone apparently in need of help or directions, a simple " can I help you", and an offer to show them where they are on the central map etc, makes all the difference.Give them the guide to confirm that York is a friendly City, and and you too will also feel better for helping.
It could be embarrassing if too many of us did this, but many tourist cities have unofficial resident guides. This can be ideal for retired residents with some time to spare.
The comments on public toilets are all too true. It is ridiculous that this is not seen to be a priority by the City Council and York's Tourist Authority, and ."Find the loo?" should not be the game that identifies York on the UK tourist map!
Buzz Light-year
says...
9:51am Sun 30 Dec 12
Press wrote:
...one of the commonest questions...
One of the *most common*
TT
says...
12:14am Mon 31 Dec 12
Buzz Light-year wrote:I rest my case.
Indeed. Case in point:
Press wrote:
...one of the commonest questions...
One of the *most common*
Gyspsy Power
says...
4:02am Mon 31 Dec 12
Davroshasissues
says...
6:50am Mon 31 Dec 12
MouseHouse
says...
9:35am Mon 31 Dec 12
was york now rotherham wrote:The nearest cathedral to central York is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter, better known as the Minster.
Years ago when i worked in a certain italian resturant in goodramgate (oppersit the cross keys pub) we used to get people comeing in asking where the minster was and we just looked out of the window and then they noticed it, but the best one i ever saw was 2 yanks ask a traffic copper where the nearest catheadral was so he sent them off to Ripon after all it was april 1st and it was a good one
Regardless of the date that's a stupid thing to do to visitors.
A British Bobby being stupid...surely not!
YSTClinguist
says...
11:46am Mon 31 Dec 12
MouseHouse wrote:Didn't it used to be a local pastime to misdirect tourists? I've heard loads of tales of such.
was york now rotherham wrote:The nearest cathedral to central York is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter, better known as the Minster.
Years ago when i worked in a certain italian resturant in goodramgate (oppersit the cross keys pub) we used to get people comeing in asking where the minster was and we just looked out of the window and then they noticed it, but the best one i ever saw was 2 yanks ask a traffic copper where the nearest catheadral was so he sent them off to Ripon after all it was april 1st and it was a good one
Regardless of the date that's a stupid thing to do to visitors.
A British Bobby being stupid...surely not!
Buzz Light-year
says...
12:55pm Mon 31 Dec 12
Often I get asked where is the minster or Shambles or whatever, I point them in the right direction and then they walk away in the opposite direction.
WTF?
rockstoff
says...
3:06pm Mon 31 Dec 12
Buzz Light-year wrote:Clearly never caught the Monks Cross P & R - it has different pickup and drop off points at both ends!
pedalling paul wrote:I'm a resident and I didn't know that.
Amazing how many visitors don't realise that the P&R buses operate a one way loop in the city centre. I often get asked where they should rejoin the bus to leave the centre. When I tell them it's the same stop that they alighted at, I don't half get some odd looks.............
Mind you I would NEVER get on a First bus.
bob the builder says...
11:16am Sat 29 Dec 12