FIREWORKS put the whoosh into the success of York hotels in November.

Visitors celebrating the foiling of the plot involving city native Guy Fawkes helped York’s hotels exceed regional UK averages on all performance indicators that month, according to accountants and business advisers PKF.

New statistics from the firm show the city’s occupancy rate was 80.3 per cent in the month, well above the regional UK average of 69.4 per cent.

They also indicate its average room rate of £75.85 was 44 pence ahead of the regional UK norm and up on the city’s own figures of £74.51 in November 2007. York’s rooms yield – the revenue made on each available room – in November of £60.91 easily outstripped the regional UK average of £52.31 and beat its own figure of £60.49 recorded 12 months previously. The positive trend continued in the year-to-date figures at the end of November. York’s occupancy rate of 81.5 per cent was second only in the regions to the area around Heathrow Airport and ahead of both the regional UK average of 71.3 per cent and the 78.9 per cent the city had achieved at the same point in 2007. The city’s year-to-date average room rate of £73.65 in November was also up on its own figure of £72.87 a year earlier.

Its year-to-date rooms yield of £60.02 beat both the regional UK average of £54.07 and its own amount of £57.46 recorded 12 months earlier. Mark Lister, PKF partner-in-charge responsible for York, said: “The statistics suggest York’s hotels are continuing to do relatively well, even in the challenging economic climate.

“They beat regional averages across all performance indicators in November and improved on their year-to-date figures of 12 months previously in all respects bar the occupancy rate, where the reduction was only minimal.

“We suspect that attractions such as the York Maze Fireworks Spectacular, events at venues such as the Theatre Royal and Grand Opera House, and the return of the Ice Factor rink all contributed to keeping the bookings coming.”