IT WAS Pimms O’clock as the sun came out today for Fossgate to celebrate a festival which shows everything it has to offer.

The street’s wealth of shops and bars set up stall on the pavement as thousands of people wandered down the cobbles to eat paella, drink beer and see what the street has to offer.

Zoe Plummer, co-owner of Ambiente, helped organise the event with Sarah Lakin from Fossgate Social.

Ms Plummer, chairman of the Fossgate Association, has helped organise the events since they began in 2014.

She said: “This is what we want because it’s really well supported.

“It’s great but not as good as last time, but that’s to be expected because last time it was a bank holiday and half term.

“We see a lot of regulars now because it’s an opportunity to catch up with family and friends.”

The Fossgate Festival has run in the street for the last three years, and this Sunday was the 12th event held by local traders.

The event saw the likes of Ambiente serve two paellas from outside their restaurant and offered beer from BrewYork.

Further up the street Fossgate Social and Sutlers were serving food, while the recently opened Cosy Club moved a bar outside to serve jugs full of Pimms to passers-by.

Children were also able to have their face painted, families listened to performers, including Simon Bolly, and charities Marie Curie, Kyra Women’s Project and Door 84 had all set up stalls to speak to residents.

The organisers run the festival to highlight the street’s potential as a car free zone.

They have called on City of York Council to ban cars from the street for good as they regularly see vehicles using it as a rat run, despite it having restricted access.

Ms Lakin added: “Once you get rid of the cars the street has such a nice feel to it.

“I’m not sure we could ever get it fully pedestrianised, but if people had as much priority as cars it would be lovely.”