HOPES are growing that Santa Claus will be coming to town next year, in a bigger and better grotto.

A new Christmas committee, involving leading businessmen and council officers, has been formed to examine how York city centre might mark the festive season in 2005.

One of the items at the top of the agenda will be how a grotto might be created, said its chairman David Cox, who is the proprietor of Miniature Scene in Fossgate. "A Santa's grotto is one of the essentials of Christmas," he said.

"We have got to find a site in the city centre that is suitable and someone that is prepared to run it."

He said that this year's festive season might have only just got under way, but the committee - formed as part of the York Business Pride initiative - was already holding its first meetings.

City centre manager Paul Barrett said that by starting such discussions so far in advance of next Christmas, there would be plenty of time to ensure obstacles to creating a grotto could be investigated and hopefully overcome.

Mr Barrett said he was aware of parents' concerns about the lack of such a grotto, but there were difficulties, such as restrictions on space in the medieval city centre streets, which would have to be addressed. He said St Nicholas Fayre had been a major success, which had brought important extra trade to a range of businesses across the centre.

Mr Cox said he hoped the new committee would have representatives from businesses, big and small, from the main trading streets.

He said it would be looking at a number of other ways the city centre might celebrate Christmas next year, but he would also welcome ideas from the public. Any suggestions should be sent in writing to: David Cox, Miniature Scene, Fossgate, York.

Updated: 08:59 Thursday, December 02, 2004