THE QUEEN’S visit to York can be a springboard for the regeneration of the city, traders have said.
Business bosses in Micklegate say their area must strive to become a desirable destination for local people and visitors, and are planning a range of events to increase its appeal.
They hope April’s visit by the Queen could provide fresh impetus for their efforts. Micklegate Bar is the historic royal entrance to York, and the Queen will arrive there on April 5, ahead of the Maundy Thursday service at York Minster.
The Micklegate Quarter group, set up to promote the street and surrounding area, held its first meeting of traders on Wednesday night, to discuss ideas.
A marketing sub-group, including Jack Baber, of Bill Baber Knitwear, Sharon Winfield, of Bolsita Bags, Bruno Hannemann, of Sane Design, and City of York Council, said businesses should work together.
Mr Baber said: “For 800 years monarchs have been coming into York through the Micklegate Bar. We’re right at the heart of this event this year in York.
It’s a real opportunity for the quarter to do something really significant, giving us something to talk about in the run up to and in the months after the visit.”
Another suggestion was the rebranding of the Micklegate Run, the pub crawl into the city.
Mr Baber said: “Could we change the understanding of the Micklegate Run into something positive? We have a fantastic opportunity this year with the Olympic torch coming through the Micklegate Quarter. Perhaps there’s a fun run or event we can organise to coincide with that which enables us to snatch back that term, The Micklegate Run, for some good PR?”
The group also asked businesses for feedback on the ideas of a music festival, scarecrow festival, a Georgian-themed Christmas and the extension of existing city centre events, such as Illuminating York and the York Food & Drink Festival, into the quarter.
It suggested publishing a tourist guide and map featuring the Quarter’s businesses and a historical trail, to encourage visitors to spend all day exploring the quarter, as well as a discount scheme for local residents and employees to encourage them to use their local businesses more and bring families into the area.
It also suggested co-ordinating late night shopping, and working as a collective to negotiate with landlords and valuers of business rates.
Mr Hannemann said: “The attendance was good and it feels that people get what we want to do and they want to get involved and commit to the idea. It’s early days. This is the very beginning of something we intend to be very good for the area.”
Coun Sandy Fraser, ward councillor for Micklegate, said the group’s work at Christmas, collecting money from traders to put up a Christmas tree and arranging a carols evening, had been “extremely successful” and the Queen’s visit would provide a real boost to Micklegate as the historic royal entrance to the city of York.
Simon Daubeney, business analyst at City of York Council, said: “There are lots of reasons to be proud of this area. It’s the royal entrance to the city. Every single monarch except for King Henry VIII has been through that arch. And the area has 190 businesses, and 8,800 employees.”
Sir Ron Cooke, York Civic Trust chairman, has been advising the city council on its Reinvigorate York campaign, aimed at improving many areas of the city.
Further royal visit pictures are available via our photo sales website.
Major tourism boost
Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of Visit York, said: “The Queen’s visit will be a great honour for the city and it is fitting that she will be here in the 800th anniversary year. The royal visit is a major boost for the city’s tourism sector and, in an important year for York, this will be a wonderful historical occasion, talked about for generations to come.”
Beautiful street deserves better
IN recent times, Micklegate has never quite been the thriving street it deserves to be.
All the ingredients are there: the cobbles; the elegant Georgian buildings; the churches and historic bar; not to mention some great little shops and businesses. But somehow, too many locals and visitors alike have turned their backs on it.
Perhaps it is just the wrong side of the river, or too far to walk from the rest of the city centre.
Last month, in an attempt to get the street the attention it deserves, a group of traders launched the Micklegate Quarter.
Now they are hoping that, in the year of York’s 800th birthday, the street will get a major boost – thanks to a visit by The Queen.
The name Micklegate means Great Street. And for centuries it has been a tradition that the ruling monarch enters York through Micklegate Bar.
That is where the Queen entered York on her last visit, in 2000. And that is almost certainly where she will make her entrance to the city in April, when she arrives ahead of the Maunday Thursday service at the Minster in York’s anniversary year.
Micklegate traders are hoping the Queen’s visit, and the attention it will focus on this historic entrance to the city, will give it just the boost it needs.
We hope so. This beautiful street deserves to take its place firmly on the map of must-visit parts of York.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel