A NEW addition to the streetscape around York Minster is causing quite a stir with visitors and residents alike.

A giant 18-tonne sandstone block with the word “immovable” engraved across the side has appeared outside the cathedral.

Captivated shoppers and tourists have been stopping to have their photo taken with it.

The six-foot square block of York Stone was placed at the junction of Duncombe Place, High Petergate and Precentor’s Court on Monday.

Every day this week, including today, a series of performances have taken place as people interact with the block through parkour – a physical discipline and non-competitive sport which focuses on efficient movement around obstacles – knitting, music, theatre, gardening and with paddling pools.

Round-the-clock CCTV is being used to record these experiences and public responses and people are encouraged to share them online at mind-the-gap.org.uk/immovable

Immovable has been masterminded by Bradford-based theatre company Mind The Gap and is designed as a creative way to examine reactions and strategies for overcoming unexpected obstacles, as well as being a temporary stage for performances by local artists.

Among the events that have already taken place, mental health charity Mind and the NHS tried to break the world record for the longest piece of bunting while today the block will be turned into a giant knitted Rubik’s Cube.

Tim Wheeler, artistic director of Mind The Gap, said the stone, which was quarried just outside Huddersfield, was previously placed in the middle of a road in Barnsley, and will go on from York to an as-yet-unknown location to continue its journey.

He said: “The other night, a group of people staged a mime around the block and then at about 10.30pm the same night the double doors of the Minster opened and something in the order of a thousand people poured out in dinner jackets after some kind of event there and it all became like live street theatre.

“Because the block is being filmed, it means we can see all the interactions. To some people it is clearly irritating and in the way, to others it’s a really creative proposition – it’s all about different peoples’ perceptions.”

Beginning in January, Mind the Gap worked with a number of groups and organisations including City of York Council, York St John University students’ community group, York Young Carers, York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre, SNAPPY and York People First, with all involved sworn to keep all elements of the project under wraps until now.