York streets closed in Aviva bomb scare (From York Press)
Get in touch: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting YORK to 80360 or send an email»
York streets closed in Aviva bomb scare
10:00am Wednesday 9th February 2011 in News By Nadia Jefferson-Brown. Haydn Lewis and Dan Bean
A SECTION of York city centre was closed off to motorists and pedestrians this morning following the discovery of a suspect package at the headquarters of insurance giant Aviva.
George Hudson Street, Tanner Row, Rougier Street, Lendal Bridge were all closed, and police diverted traffic away from Clifford Street to avoid adding to the congestion. There were large tailbacks on or near the inner ring road, including on Lord Mayor's Walk, Micklegate, Bootham and Gillygate.
Police say a suspect package was found in the mail room of Aviva's Yorkshire House office on Rougier Street at about 7.20am. Army bomb disposal teams were called. The all-clear was given at about 9.45am and emergency services are now leaving the scene.
The bomb alert left crowds of Aviva workers who had either been evacuated or were unable to get into the building standing beyond a police cordon at the junction of Lendal Bridge and Lendal while others gathered at the nearby war memorial.
They were taken to Guildhall while the package was investigated.
No other buildings were evacuated but occupants were told to stay indoors.
One Aviva employee who did not wish to be named said: "We have just turned up for work and been told there is a bomb scare going on.
"We are just ringing round our teams to let them know they should stay in their cars, and we have been told to stay outside until further notice from the police."
Another worker said: "I have been told I can't go in, but have not been told why."
A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "The police actions are a precautionary measure to ensure safety and residents and visitors are advised the situation is under control."
Are you affected? Please contact The Press newsdesk on 01904 567131 or newsdesk@thepress.co.uk
Comments(45)
oldgoat
says...
9:01am Wed 9 Feb 11
Passed two FTR buses coming up Station Rise the wrong way, streams of pedestrians and cyclists still moving around. Constant sirens.
You'd think they'd lock Lendal Bridge off?
Pete the Brickie
says...
9:10am Wed 9 Feb 11
Woody Mellor
says...
9:10am Wed 9 Feb 11
Mike Oxuge wrote:I was going to write something similar, them I thought how stupid I'd look if I was wrong.
It'll be nothing, guaranteed.
That said, I hope your right!
angry ant
says...
9:11am Wed 9 Feb 11
pedalling paul
says...
9:19am Wed 9 Feb 11
oldgoat
says...
9:19am Wed 9 Feb 11
Mike Oxuge wrote:Maybe someone's policy didn't pay out?
It'll be nothing, guaranteed.
oldgoat
says...
9:21am Wed 9 Feb 11
pedalling paul wrote:Um, no. Like I said, scores of cyclists still moving around.
"We are just ringing round our teams to let them know they should stay in their cars..." and presumably also stay on their bikes if they pedal to work.
YO1
says...
9:29am Wed 9 Feb 11
Mike Oxuge wrote:Phew that's a relief. Thanks for the reassurance, you better tell the bomb disposal squad they can go home now.
It'll be nothing, guaranteed.
Pete the Brickie
says...
9:39am Wed 9 Feb 11
pedalling paul wrote:Well at least we're all safe now we know you're in charge of the situation. Who did you ring first your tour bus drivers "Hi it's Paul here your guide, stay on the bus there's not a bomb on board and if the bus goes over 2mph nothing will happen".
"We are just ringing round our teams to let them know they should stay in their cars..." and presumably also stay on their bikes if they pedal to work.
yorkie71
says...
9:52am Wed 9 Feb 11
jojo8585
says...
10:24am Wed 9 Feb 11
Mr Udigawa
says...
10:38am Wed 9 Feb 11
jojo8585 wrote:Thanks jojo.
I work for Aviva and can say the offices are back open now, police have deemed it safe.
Now get on with your work!
qwerty1234
says...
11:33am Wed 9 Feb 11
redr
says...
11:39am Wed 9 Feb 11
mikecmr
says...
11:40am Wed 9 Feb 11
qwerty1234 wrote:Not the case, they large police numbers have been around all week including saturday and sunday.
i was shopping in town yesterday,about lunchtime, and there was a massive, and i mean massive amount of police, every street, every corner, sometimes 3 or 4 together,. Training exercise in preperation for todays "threat"?
Barfield24
says...
11:41am Wed 9 Feb 11
qwerty1234
says...
11:44am Wed 9 Feb 11
mikecmr wrote:have you not wondered why? maybe not exercise then, maybe inside info? you never see that many officers usually do you?
qwerty1234 wrote:Not the case, they large police numbers have been around all week including saturday and sunday.
i was shopping in town yesterday,about lunchtime, and there was a massive, and i mean massive amount of police, every street, every corner, sometimes 3 or 4 together,. Training exercise in preperation for todays "threat"?
mikecmr
says...
11:48am Wed 9 Feb 11
qwerty1234
says...
11:51am Wed 9 Feb 11
mikecmr wrote:oh dont get me wrong, i thought it was fantastic, i welcome them all patrolling our lovely streets, they all do a fantastic job, only mentioned it as i thought it was a bit of a coincidence.
I did wonder why but then i saw then actually interacting with the public instead of provoking a reaction form the public and thought nothing else of it. They were doing a good job for whatever reason they were out there for so got on with my day.
mikecmr
says...
12:02pm Wed 9 Feb 11
oldgoat
says...
12:12pm Wed 9 Feb 11
mikecmr wrote:So do you not read the press or something? There was a parade through town on Sunday! Just when the river was peeking too?
Sorry my reply wasnt the most friendly was it, at the time it was the weekend so we thought it was down to some type of sporting event, football maybe? it was a mixture of Police and those part time one's not sure of their job title haha. It was a breath of fresh air to see so many on the streets, we counted 10 in the area around the minster. I very much doubt they will be in such force again this weekend unless they have some man hours to use up :)
Yorkie Girl
says...
12:12pm Wed 9 Feb 11
TheTruthHurts
says...
12:35pm Wed 9 Feb 11
'
I went to a bus stop just out of the city centre the other day there was a scrunched up dark carrier bag in the corner. I dared to have a look and found a family pack of rocky robin chocolate bars. Result!
spiritofyork
says...
12:38pm Wed 9 Feb 11
mikecmr
says...
12:41pm Wed 9 Feb 11
greenmonkey
says...
1:07pm Wed 9 Feb 11
Barfield24 wrote:Wasnt it some minister or government official? Car I saw being escorted onto Blossom St at that time was something like a Daimler with built in flashing lights, not a range rover.
Possibly something to do with the royal visitors that were whisked through york at 4pm last night........how unusual that there is no press coverage?....news blackout?.......lots of outriders and armoured range rover!.....
As for the bomb scare, I would rather be safe than sorry, given the ongoing heightened level of security alert. A prominent tourist city with military bases cant afford to be too careful, while not wishing to be alarmist about this.
eldirt
says...
1:42pm Wed 9 Feb 11
yorkiespur
says...
1:43pm Wed 9 Feb 11
Bill Obviouslymadeupname
says...
2:31pm Wed 9 Feb 11
Anyway, did we work out what kind of bomb it was? I suspect it was the exploding kind.
furiousofhuntington
says...
3:16pm Wed 9 Feb 11
Snakehips
says...
3:25pm Wed 9 Feb 11
eldirt wrote:I've been informed that the package was in fact a gift to the Chief Executive from another firm and that it actually contained something 'battery operated'! Personally I think I would have preferred the family sized pack of Rocky Robin biscuits!
I would like to know how someone actually thought a package addressed to a director (apparently containing gloves) would be a bomb? If there was no previous threat then this is madness. If there was then the Mail systems would be under surveillance. We are facing the wrong direction and need to turn around. Far too alarmist. Someone should be held to account, not praised for using the precautionary principle.
spockboy
says...
5:24pm Wed 9 Feb 11
Barfield24 wrote:yes saw this as I was going towards the station,never got a good look as the cars sped off at speed.
Possibly something to do with the royal visitors that were whisked through york at 4pm last night........how unusual that there is no press coverage?....news blackout?.......lots of outriders and armoured range rover!.....
Anyone seen any info on who it was in the limo ?
Nice to see the incident was dealt with professionally.
Biggles Breaks his Silence
says...
7:07pm Wed 9 Feb 11
DILLIGAF
says...
7:27pm Wed 9 Feb 11
twangmagus
says...
7:34pm Wed 9 Feb 11
hustler
says...
7:34pm Wed 9 Feb 11
ncos
says...
7:35pm Wed 9 Feb 11
Pete the Brickie
says...
8:02pm Wed 9 Feb 11
Disclaimer
No suggestion that the Chief Exec of Avvia has ordered bondage equipment from ebay to his work address and caused chaos to York centre is either real or implied.
Pete's opinions are solely Pete's opinions and do not represent the views of any other Bricklayer or building professional. References made to talking cement mixers, jcb and cranes in posts are fictional their views do not represent the views of real site vehicles, equipment or plant. Any parallels with real life are purely coincidental.
Mentos
says...
10:27pm Wed 9 Feb 11
yorkiespur wrote:Use a chauffeur driven limo then, snob
had to listen to the chavs on the bus for longer than normal this morning! thanks a lot!!!
theyorkman
says...
11:47pm Wed 9 Feb 11
hustler wrote:He seems to be there every Wednesday. Also coincidence
I passed by Aviva at lunchtime after the incident had ended. There was however, some sort of one man protest going on in the doorway. There were a couple of placards reading something along the lines of "Insurance Companies Wreck Lives" and "Aviva Gave Me A Cr@p Deal". I never really take much notice of the building, but gave it a glance today as I cycled (ooer !) from Lendal Bridge towards the station; wondered if there's a few people with an axe to grind there or is it merely coincidence ?
york_chap
says...
1:40am Thu 10 Feb 11
Mentos wrote:You could buy the mayoral limo when they sell if off next year - apparently they're trading it in for a smart car. Not sure how you attach a flag to a smart though...
yorkiespur wrote:Use a chauffeur driven limo then, snob
had to listen to the chavs on the bus for longer than normal this morning! thanks a lot!!!
Anti_Akuma
says...
6:56pm Thu 10 Feb 11
Splat
says...
7:03pm Thu 10 Feb 11
Barfield24 wrote:How do you know they were 'Armoured'
Possibly something to do with the royal visitors that were whisked through york at 4pm last night........how unusual that there is no press coverage?....news blackout?.......lots of outriders and armoured range rover!.....
Hackney Lee
says...
10:05pm Thu 10 Feb 11
Biggles Breaks his Silence wrote:Great minds Biggles..I was also wondering whether Aviva's own policies would cover acts of terrorism? Or indeed any insurance company's policies. Now that would've been ironic.....
I hope Aviva are sufficiently covered for their losses today? or will the small print say otherwise??
Mike Oxuge says...
9:01am Wed 9 Feb 11