A SOCIETY which has been organising public lectures in York city centre since 1833 suggested today that evening parking charges could place the long-standing tradition in jeopardy.

The Yorkshire Philosophical Society says there has been a marked decrease in numbers attending its lectures in the Tempest Anderson Hall since evening fees were introduced earlier this year.

"The reason for these poorer attendances is not difficult to work out," said chairman Alan Owen.

"For members of the general public, it used to cost only the £2 entry charge to attend a lecture. It now costs more than double that - £2 plus at least £2.10 parking charge."

He said members paid an annual subscription of £17, entitling them to attend all of the society's lectures, which concerned aspects of science and society, but now they faced an additional cost of about £40 in charges.

"As the charges cost more than the evening's entertainment or annual subscription, it is easy to understand why people now perceive that it is not very attractive to attend evening events in York centre and to consider very carefully which events, if any, they will attend.

"The Yorkshire Philosophical Society has been organising lecture programmes in the Yorkshire Museum since 1833, and in the Tempest Anderson Hall from its creation in 1912. It will be a shame if this long-standing cultural York tradition were to be placed in jeopardy by car parking charges."

Mr Owen said the society's 450 members were wholeheartedly opposed to the new evening charges, and he had been "bombarded" by requests to make their views known.

He said other social events organised in the city centre by his society, and probably many others, would also be adversely affected. "We, and no doubt other societies, will be reviewing carefully whether to continue running these events in the same way as hitherto."

Mr Owen also claimed that reducing the number of "decent" people frequenting the centre in the evening increased the visibility of less desirable elements of society, whose numbers would probably not change, and this would not improve the experiences or safety of tourists.

Coun Ann Reid, City of York Council's executive member for planning and transport, said the council was looking at various schemes that might help both businesses and voluntary organisations affected by evening charges.

She added that although the main review would not take place until November, officers were already working on a number of suggestions which had been made. She added that the existing Frequent User pass could be helpful for some members from the philosophical society.

Updated: 12:05 Friday, July 09, 2004