YORK is already losing important tourist bookings because of the city's failure to stage the Mystery Plays next year.

In stark contrast, historic northern rival Chester is attracting tourists from all over the world - and even from York - with its own Plays production next month.

While York is set to miss out on another full-blown Mystery Plays drama until at least 2010, Chester plans to stage another one in 2008.

Evening Press inquiries have established that people from across Britain and around the world have cancelled plans to come to York next year to see the Plays.

Dian Rosenhamer told the paper she would have made a special trip to York to see the Plays and her hotel booking had now been lost.

An American group's tour to York to see the Mystery Plays has also been lost.

York Tourist Information Centre says it has been getting a stream of calls over the last few months, the majority from people who had seen the Plays before and put it in their diaries to come back for the four-yearly event.

"When we tell visitors it's not happening next year, the most common reaction is disbelief followed by anger or upset," said Kay Hyde, York Tourism Bureau PR manager.

"It's a great disappointment for the city's residents that the Mystery Plays have suffered this setback, but it is also crucial that the plays are saved for the city's tourism industry.

"The city's guest houses, shops, restaurants, hotels and other businesses will undoubtedly lose revenue if the plays do not go ahead."

At Chester, the Chester Mystery Plays Ltd, a company with charitable status, sponsored by Chester City Council and Cheshire County Council, is committed to producing the plays every five years.

Thousands will watch the open-air production from a covered grandstand on Chester Cathedral Green, presented by a professionally-directed cast and a crew of hundreds of local people from June 30 until July 19.

A spokesman said the plays attracted people from all over the world, including a group from America who were coming on a pilgrimage - and a party of Freemen from York.

Updated: 09:38 Saturday, June 21, 2003