SOME of York’s biggest attractions are top of a St George’s Day wish list of 101 things to do before going abroad.

VisitEngland has unveiled what it calls the ultimate bucket list of home-grown travel experiences, which sees Yorkshire put Europe’s sunspots in the shade.

More than 1,000 nominations were submitted to tourist bosses through social networking sites such as Facebook.

York scored in the food and drink section with both afternoon tea at Betty’s and eating chocolate making the grade.

Both were chosen by Michelin-starred chef Skye Gyngell, formerly of London’s Petersham Nurseries and now culinary director of a country-house hotel opening in Hampshire.

When it comes to history and heritage, York Minster is up there with the Royal Armouries in Leeds and riding the Settle to Carlisle steam railway.

All three were the choice of Barney Chandler, a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London and guardian of the country’s culture and traditions.

Celebrity bird lover Bill Oddie’s top picks were Bempton Cliff’s bird colonies, Malham Cove, and snowdrops at Fountains Abbey.

Sonali Shah, host of World Triathlon series and London 2012 Olympics presenter, opted for mountain biking in Dalby Forest, caving in the Yorkshire Dales, and the coast to coast walk to Robin Hood’s Bay.

The Archbishop of York will celebrate St George’s Day today and has made fresh calls for it to be made a bank holiday in England.

Dr John Sentamu said: “The feast of St George should be a day of real celebration and I would like to encourage everybody to rejoice in this great land that we live in. Even when times are tough, our fantastic community spirit helps bind us together.”

The Archbishop will lead prayers in Stockton today as part of a visit to the Diocese of Durham. The service will take place at 1:30pm at Stockton Parish Church.


Poll: English identity ‘emerging’

A majority of people in England want St George’s Day to be made a Bank Holiday, according to a survey.

More than seven out of ten, or 73 per cent, backed making St George’s Day a public holiday in an online study of 3,600 English adults for the IPPR think tank and Cardiff and Edinburgh universities.

More people living in England said they felt “very proud” to be English, at 46 per cent than those who felt “very proud” to be British, at 38 per cent.

People living in England expressed stronger pride in seeing the Union Flag than they did when they see the St George’s flag, the research showed.

When asked which nationality they would like inscribed on their passports, 51 per cent of people living in England said “British” while 40 per cent said “English”.

The IPPR said the survey, showed “Englishness” is a growing political force and an identity that politicians can “no longer ignore”.


Namesakes back public holiday

“Georges” have thrown their weight behind calls for St George’s Day to be made a public holiday.

Shirley Torkington, landlady at The George & Dragon pub in West Haddlesey, near Selby, said: “We have been celebrating all weekend, for the last seven years we have held a beer festival the weekend before St George’s Day, so it means a lot to us. I think it should be a bank holiday, I don’t think St George’s Day is recognised in this country as much as national days in other countries.”

Rose Mazza, head teacher of St George’s RC Primary School in York, said: “We’ve got a number of events planned. We have Mass in the parish church in the morning, followed by a St George’s Day lunch, and in the afternoon we are opening up the school to parents and friends, where we have the children’s artwork on display.”

George McManus, former mayor of Pocklington, now living near Beverley, said: “I celebrate it every year. I come from a long line of Georges, who are Scottish so I celebrate St Andrew’s every year, I’m also half Irish and celebrate St Patrick’s as well.It has always been a source of bemusement to me that we don’t recognise it more. I think it would be fantastic if people celebrated their English identity more.”