York Road alcohol license application to be decided on Friday

The prospective operator of a Londis store which will open at 39A York Road is seeking a license to sell alcohol between 6:00am and 11:00pm.

The Police have insisted on a wide range of conditions which would be applied if the license was granted.

Whether York Road/ Front Street needs another alcohol sales outlet is another question.

An objection to the plan has been recorded by a local resident which probably reflects the views held by many others.

The Front Street area does need an uplift and a boost to its evening economy would be welcome.

But any magnet for anti-social behaviour would be another blow for the area.

Huntington Stadium – concert doubts

Huntington Stadium

The York Council has yet to confirm whether the Huntington Stadium can be used as a venue for a “10,000 capacity” concert on 4^th July.

Ticket sales for the event – headlined by Russell Watson – are reported to be “sluggish”

Objections to the license application for the site had to be with the council by last Thursday, but no response has yet been published.

Increasing the capacity of the Stadium from just over 4000 to 10,000 will present major transport and logistical problems.

The Council has however announced that the Stadium will become a “spectator hub” for an event on 6^th July.

It replaces the planned “hub” on Monk Stray which was dogged by procedural problems, and eventually had to be abandoned amidst a torrent of objections from residents.

It is unclear what the residents of Huntington will make of the likely impacts these major events will have over what would, in any event, be a busy shopping weekend in the Monks Cross area.

We said a few months ago that the Council – despite allocating a jaw dropping £1.6 million to fund the Tour de France Grand Depart event in the City – had underestimated the skills and manpower necessary to maximise the success of such an event.

Those doubts still remain

Lowfields school playing fields – football gala today but future in doubt

Football gala at Lowfields playing fields today

The former Lowfields school playing fields were the location for a football gala today organised by the Woodthorpe Wanderers FC.

Teams had travelled from all over the region and included one from Middlesbrough.

The same playing fields are under threat after the York Council’s Housing department made a bid to include them in the redevelopment plans for the site.

Previously the intention had been to develop only the “footprint” of the former school buildings.

The attempt to develop the whole of the site is being resisted by officials working on the Councils new “Local Plan”.

The older persons village –which was scheduled to be completed on the site last year – has not even got planning permission yet so it will be 2016 before any buildings are occupied.

That will be at least 3 years behind the original schedule.

Hob Moor rail tunnel closure

The pedestrian and cycle tunnel under the East Coast main railway line will be closed from tomorrow for 3 weeks.

The closure – which has not been widely advertised – is in connection with major electricity supply cable work taking place in the area

The tunnel forms part of the orbital cycle route which is used by hundreds of cyclists each day.

NB. Powergrid have also given notice of a supply cut in the Foxwood Lane area on Monday 16^th June from 10:00am to 2:00pm

Road Safety Event in York on the 9th June

UK Road Safety Week, runs from the 9- 15 June 2014, with an event in Parliament Square, York, on the 9th June.

The event in York is being supported by 95 Alive, the York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership, City of York Council, North Yorkshire County Council, North Yorkshire Police, CFOA and the Mineral Products Association.

MP for Scarborough and Whitby and Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Transport, Robert Goodwill,will be attending as will Dave Etheridge, Road Safety Lead for CFOA and Honor Byford, Chair of Road Safety GB.

(more…)