THE McArthurGlen designer outlet on the outskirts of York will begin opening late for Christmas nearly two weeks after similar centres around the country.

Of seven McArthurGlen outlets in Britain, only the York centre will delay the start of its late night shopping.

The changes will see the outlet remain open until 9pm every week night, until 7pm on Saturdays and 6pm on Sundays. But Christmas shopping at the York centre will start on November 24 - other McArthurGlen outlets will change their hours on November 11.

Centre manager Norma Middlemiss said: "We are the only centre that is governed by planning consent, and I could not apply for that until my head office had finished its consultation process on Christmas opening. In the event, there just wasn't enough time left to get consent."

The delay has allayed concerns among staff at the centre that a November 11 change would not bring in enough customers to be worthwhile.

One assistant manager, who did not wish to be named, said of the November 11 plans: "This is madness. There has been a petition going round the stores about this issue. It is nice to know that someone else here feels the same way about these ridiculous new opening hours."

Over three million customers go through the doors at the York McArthurGlen centre each year. Mrs Middlemiss said this year 650,000 people were expected to shop at the outlet in November and December alone - an increase of three per cent on last year.

However, city centre shop managers are confident their businesses will not be affected by the longer opening hours at McArthurGlen.

Linda Grey, Fenwicks general manager, said she did not expect the later opening hours to affect city centre business.

She said: "I think there is a market for both in York - people who travel outside of town and those who come in to the city centre."

She said her city centre department store would begin late night opening on Thursdays from the end of November and Sunday opening from this week.

Updated: 10:01 Tuesday, October 19, 2004