I HAVE not been to York in the evening since a pizza and a visit to the Grand Opera House with my family introduced me with a bump to the new evening parking charges.

Barring the mandatory Christmas pilgrimage to visit the shrine of St Berwick at the Theatre Royal, I will no longer be patronising York city centre in the evening.

May I suggest that those who feel like me enjoy a night out in Scarborough? Not only is there plenty of free evening parking at this time of year but in the three-hour disc zones if you arrive after 3pm you can stay for free until as late as you like.

So why the big difference in attitude to car owners and city centre pubs, restaurants and clubs?

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Scarborough Borough Council is run by a Conservative administration that listens to what people want rather than treating them with contempt.

Robert Goodwill,

Parliamentary Candidate,

Scarborough and Whitby,

Southwood Farm,

Terrington,

York.

Updated: 11:34 Tuesday, October 05, 2004