NO ONE can say they haven't been asked.

The approach to York Minster's Western Door is now flanked by three unmissable signs asking for your donations. In specific amounts.

Once inside, you have barely had time to utter an Our Father before a large column leaps out at you, with the same request repeated.

And then, to top it all off, two "greeters" appear in your path, and quietly ask whether you have seen the sign.

See it? I nearly walked into it.

Then, you pass two manned tills, which make it virtually impossible not to make the donation.

It might not be the most subtle way of putting across the Minster's financial woes, but then, the woes are very real. And the signs are the Dean and Chapter's way of avoiding an entry fee, which they believe would be a less popular option.

The signs are most politely worded, and call for "suggested donations". Adults are asked for £3.50 each, senior citizens for £2.50, students for £1.50, children for £1, and families for £6.

They also make clear what that amount does not cover. A trip up the tower will still set back an adult a further £3, as will a descent to the Undercroft, and the £2 photography permit remains.

It is too much for some. Llianne Healey and her three friends, visiting from Adelaide, Australia, turned away from the door and headed elsewhere.

"We'll have to put it off and maybe come back later, but only if we have the time," Llianne said.

"We only wanted a quick look round, but it won't be worth having to pay that amount. I think we might have gone in if we hadn't had to pay. It's a pity, because we've got a busy day and we could well miss it."

But another group of overseas visitors, the Ederveen family, from Breda in the Netherlands, decided they couldn't miss the Minster, despite being somewhat fazed by the donation request.

"We are practising Catholics, and we are used to going into churches to look around. We always make a donation voluntarily. But I haven't seen requests for specific donations before," said Lucas Ederveen.

"I'd be happy to pay money for the tower, or even a main entry fee, but this seems a bit too much. And having the men there asking if you have seen the sign makes you feel like the police are watching you."

It has been suggested that visitors would be happier to pay an up-front fee for the whole package, rather than make a donation and pay for the extra tours. Such is the case at St Paul's, in London, where a dome-and-all trip costs £6.

One visitor, who asked not to be named, said the donation demand was "not very British".

But another, who was very happy with the request, was pensioner and Minster devotee Mollie Haigh, from Skipton.

"I often come here just to be inside it, and I would pay anything I had for the privilege.

"I think if people won't part with a bit of cash to help keep the Minster going for another thousand years, they don't deserve to see it.

"I don't really mean that, it's just my emotions, but I can't believe people would be fussy about donating.

"The Minster is my favourite place in all the world. It makes me cry."

Updated: 11:50 Thursday, May 02, 2002