STEADY as you go... Viking business pride is in full sail.

You sense it at the McArthurGlen designer outlet in York, where City of York Council leader Councillor Steve Galloway and Adam Sinclair, both co-founders of York Business Pride, arrived to say thank you.

Their gratitude goes to Colin Wilding, the outlet's new general manager, who has sent the centre's first instalment of a £6,000 contribution over the next three years to York Business Pride.

It brings the total raised by the York business community for the public-private partnership, which is dedicated to improving the city, to nearly £200,000.

Mr Sinclair, who is chairman of York Business Pride, described the McArthurGlen pledge as "a very generous contribution to the city from a recent outside investor and symbolises the support of our distinguished city by the out-of-town business community". Other recent benefactors include the award-winning Bengal Brasserie, of York.

Proprietors Iqbal Chowdhury and Dobir Malik, who have restaurants at Goodramgate, York Business Park, and Market Weighton, in East Yorkshire, have pledged a sum of £500 per year for the next three years.

Mr Chowdhury said: "We have been in York for ten years now and like to get involved in the local community as much as we can.

"If we all play our part, we can make the city even more clean, tidy and attractive.

Mr Sinclair said: "It's great to see this first engagement by the Asian business community in the scheme.

"We are delighted that Bengal Brasserie has chosen to come on board."

Meanwhile, as reported yesterday, York Business Pride is sponsoring a "de-cluttering" programme to remove unnecessary traffic signs, poles and other street furniture, with a pilot scheme in Duncombe Place, near the Minster.

And the organisation is teaming up with York Business Trust and specialist business firm William Anelay, of Osbaldwick, to clean up the famous George Leeman statue opposite the Memorial Gardens in Leeman Road.

Yet again, the Business Pride Boar is backing York in Bloom with £5,000 sponsorship to help meet the cost of 150 hanging baskets across the city.

Updated: 10:44 Tuesday, February 08, 2005