BUSINESSES in a York street have hit out at the lack of Christmas lights - and complained that nothing is being done to improve the appearance of empty and boarded up premises.

The Coppergate traders say they would like to know what they get in return for their levy to York’s BID (Business Improvement District).

Michael Andrew, who owns Michael Andrew Hair Studio, said: “Santa Claus isn’t coming to town in Coppergate.”

He revealed that he had refused to pay his levy of about £400 a year to the BID a year or two ago and was threatened with county court action by it.

He said he eventually had to pay up, as the levy was an obligatory addition to business rates.

Heather Clayton, clinic manager of Face Etc Medispa, backed his call for lights, saying: “It just looks a bit sad and drab in this festive season, and it isn’t a good reflection on the city for visitors.”

John Terry, owner of Choice Direct tobacconists, said the street was becoming a ‘bit of a backwater’, adding: “We pay the same levy and could do with a leg up.”

Andrew Lowson, York BID executive director, said it had recently had communications from a Coppergate business - not Mr Andrew’s - about Christmas lights and had explained that it did not have the budget to light up every street in the city.

“In the last two years, we have hugely expanded the lights display in York city centre and received national press coverage as a result, which should benefit businesses collectively,” he said.

“We will continue to try and expand it, but have to do this incrementally.

“We did liaise with the business about partaking in a Christmas competition to try and increase footfall, but they never replied to us.”

He said the BID had services to benefit York city centre as a whole, such as the Street Rangers, Street Cleaning and the recently extended Park & Ride services.

“There are times when we look to help particular parts of the city and over the last year we funded the coloured umbrella installation and big screen for Wimbledon in Coppergate centre, all designed to drive footfall into that part of the city.”

He said the BID was happy to put wraps on the windows of empty shops in Coppergate to try to improve its appearance.

“We have engaged with agents that market the buildings, but our invitations have been turned down,” he said.

“This is to do with the agent not wanting the window wrap, or prospective interest in renting the buildings.”

He said the levy was mandatory following a vote by businesses in favour of the district being created in 2015 and, for the last couple of years, there had been about a 97 per cent collection rate, with the remaining three per cent of non-collection mostly made up of businesses that had left the BID area.

He added that the BID would contact Mr Andrew as he might not understand it had tried to implement some of his suggestions and there were reasons outside its control as to why they had not happened.