DEMOLITION work on a major York street has opened up a view of one of the city's best-loved landmarks.

The ongoing works at 40, Piccadilly, have seen the previous building - which had stood derelict for many years - pulled down currently leaving a vacant plot with views out across the River Foss towards Clifford's Tower.

The work is the first stage of a planned 160-bed hotel with spa on the site.

As The Press reported back in 2020, the Axcel Group have put in plans to redevelop the land next to the Hampton by Hilton hotel, which was built during the pandemic.

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It's part of long-running developments on the street which is in the Piccadilly conservation area and, it eventually will mean that only the facade of the old Banana Warehouse building will be retained as part of the project which Axcel has dubbed York Banana Hotel.

The hotel is expected to create 31 new full time jobs and five part time roles.

There are also plans for Swinson House, opposite, which is a former government tax office, to be demolished and another 132-bedroom hotel to be built in its place.

Piccadilly has historically been home to timber and coal merchants, a saw mill, brewery and fruit merchants - before being redeveloped into garages and office blocks.