DEMONSTRATORS gathered outside a York city centre fashion store in a protest over large companies in the UK avoiding tax.

The group, including members of York Stop The Cuts, gathered outside Top Shop in Coppergate on Saturday afternoon in a protest against the store’s parent company, the Arcadia Group, allegedly avoiding paying millions in tax to the UK government.

One protester, who asked to be referred to as Graham, 26, said he had been forcibly removed from the store after asking to speak to the manager and handing out leaflets to customers.

The manger of the store declined to comment.