A ‘Summer Village’ selling food and drink is to open in the shadow of York Minster next week.

City of York Council planners have granted approval for the six wooden chalets, which will be on-site and open from Tuesday until early September.

The move follows the success of the Minster’s Winter Village which proved popular with locals and visitors over the festive period, say cathedral bosses.

The chalets will be erected on an area of grass in front of the South Quire Aisle of York Minster, just next to the statue of Constantine.

Picnic benches will also be provided for people to use and low volume classical music would be played. The chalets would sell summer fete-style food and drinks.

The initiative will be a joint-venture between CMJ events and Cooper Marquees, with the Minster providing the space.

James Cundall, CEO of Jamboree Entertainment, told the Press that following the success of the Winter Village, he was asked by the Minster to do a summer village.

It will feature a village green, with maypole and trimmings, a 1900 Yorkshire Wolds theme, with quality food, ice-cream, beer and Pimms. There will also be a Best of Yorkshire Shop and a dedicated Minster Shop.

James added: “The important thing is it is sat at the feet of the Minster and will be a great place to chill. It’s got to be the best sight in York.”

A Minster spokeswoman said: “The Summer Village will make a great addition to the Minster this year.”

Approving the scheme, a council report said the chalets form part of the minster’s summer programme, which this year incorporate Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Similar chalet-based events have taken place at the site before, the only difference being the much-longer timeframe for 2022.

The Guildhall Planning Panel said such chalets were ‘unsuitable’ next to an ‘iconic’ building like York Minster, but Heritage England had no concerns other than their length of stay.

However, the village aimed to create extra footfall to the Minster Yard and Precinct, to give families an activity in a ‘calm environment.’

The planning application said the village was needed to help the Minster recover from the impact of the pandemic and the hit to its income from the closure of the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Council planning staff accepted some ‘harm’ from the appearance of the chalets but the ‘benefit’ of it helping the upkeep of the Minster, which needs income from visitors and benefactors, would be greater, they said.

Furthermore, with the Jubilee marking 70 years of Queen Elizabeth, whose is also head of the Church of England “it is not unexpected that the Minster would intend to hold a series of events over this period to mark the occasion.”

Recommending approval, they added: “The Jubilee is a significant historic milestone that is highly unlikely to be repeated. As such it is considered that this would constitute an exceptional circumstance which could justify the extended temporary time-period for which planning permission is being sought.”