THOUSANDS turned up to enjoy this week's Ebor race meeting - but businesses reported a mixed trading picture in a week when sales are normally booming.

Some businesses blamed council highways chiefs for putting in place some of the traffic measures used at Royal Ascot for the disappointing trade.

But others reported a successful week, and welcomed the more stringent traffic controls, which, they said, helped deal with congestion.

Now council highways chiefs are conducting a final consultation session, including collating statistics from this year's meetings, before drawing up a blueprint for how traffic will be managed for all future race events.

Council highways boss Peter Evely said: "We were pleased with how the Ebor traffic arrangements went, but it's really important that we find out how the traffic plan affected residents and whether they felt the changes we made were beneficial or not."

Traders in South Bank, who blamed strict traffic controls for their huge Royal Ascot losses, said Ebor's race meeting had seen better trade.

One Ascot "loser", Fred's Bakery, in Albemarle Road, said sales were still down during Ebor week compared with previous race meetings when trade normally rocketed, and blamed the closure of roads in the area.

But the next door Knavesmire pub, which saw hardly any Royal Ascot custom, said thirsty racegoers packed into the popular drinking hole throughout Ebor.

"It (the traffic system) worked fine," said manager Sandra Whittaker. "It was a lot more controlled this time, people were able to get around much more easily."

The picture was worse among the city's hotels. Normally packed to bursting during Ebor week, this year they were five per cent down on 2004.

Tourism chief Gillian Cruddas said she was "slightly disappointed" with the week's hotel trading, but added the city centre had been significantly busier than during Royal Ascot week - when it had been branded "dead" by many businesses.

One happy businessman was Nicholas Brown, chairman of Brown's department store, who said Ebor week had seen even better sales than last year.

But the Slug And Lettuce bar, in Back Swinegate, which complained of terrible sales during Royal Ascot week, said trade was still lower than expected for Ebor, and said new traffic controls could have been the cause.

Now residents and businesses have until September 16 to give their views on what traffic measures are put in place for all future race meetings in York.

Comments about race day traffic measures can be emailed to the council on race.traffic@york.gov.uk

Updated: 10:16 Saturday, August 20, 2005