THE UK Snooker Champion-ship is definitely returning to York this year.

World Snooker have announced the championship will be staged at the Barbican Centre from November 15-28, the last event to take place there before the venue is redeveloped.

This will be the fourth year in succession that the second biggest tournament in snooker has been held in York and a one-year contract has been signed, but the long term aim is to keep the event in the city.

"We are delighted it has finally been confirmed that the event is to be in York again," said Keith Orrell, City of York Council executive member for Leisure and Heritage.

"We were always confident it would be and it has just been a matter of waiting for World Snooker to announce the fact."

York is a great favourite with the tournament organisers, all the star players, officials and television people since the event came to the city in 2001 in a three-year deal.

The world's top 32 cuemen plus 16 qualifiers compete for the most coveted title after the world crown.

The championship, won last year by Welshman Matthew Stevens, will be sponsored for the second successive season by Travis Perkins and is the second tournament on the world schedule, which opens at Preston early in October.

China is in line to stage a major tournament, with negotiations in their final stages. The list includes eight world ranking events, plus the Masters at Wembley, and several of the slots could take place overseas.

Updated: 11:51 Saturday, August 14, 2004