WE have been talking for years about how to make York more lively in the early evening. Those two hours between when the shops close and the pubs and bars start to get busy is known as the ‘teatime lull’. It is a time when the city seems to go to sleep.

There have now been renewed calls to revitalise the city’s ‘evening economy’ after retailers reported a disappointing Christmas season.

Part of the problem was the lack of a proper late-night Christmas shopping strategy, says the York Retail Forum. The trouble is that, without a coherent strategy, individual retailers are not keen to try later opening.

Past attempts have never really succeeded, said Forum chairman Frank Wood. “It’s a vicious circle. People don’t come in because the shops aren’t open, and shops aren’t open because they don’t get enough shoppers in.”

Making York a more lively place in the early evening isn’t just about keeping shops open longer, however – although that would help. A council scrutiny committee is looking at ways to encourage more families into the city centre in the evening. “But it has to be family oriented. It won’t work just as a retail experience,” said committee chairman John Galvin. As for retailers – they say the free Christmas parking up until 11am offered by the council last year was at the wrong time of day.

The city would benefit more from free evening parking, Mr Wood said. What is clear is that everybody – retailers, the council, tourism bosses and local attractions – will need to work together if the ‘teatime lull’ is to be solved.