Major York attraction plagued by 'vagrants, drug use and assaults'

Plans to improve security at the York Dungeon building have been lodged (Image: Staff)

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A MAJOR York attraction plagued by vagrants, drug use and assaults has drawn up plans to tackle the issues.

Security gates and fences would be installed in the yard at the back of York Dungeon if plans lodged with City of York Council are approved.

Attraction operator Merlin Entertainments stated people loitering in the sheltered yard were also blocking the Clifford Street building's fire exits which posed a safety risk.

It added the plans aimed to stop the yard being used inappropriately after current lighting and CCTV had proved insufficient to deter the behaviour.

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The plans would see 3m-tall anti-climb security mesh installed in the yard along with three escape gates.

The yard can currently be reached from Cumberland Street which runs from Clifford Street to King's Staith by the River Ouse.

Fire escapes belonging to the neighbouring Circuit nightclub also exit on to the yard.

Merlin Entertainments stated it was a sensible and measured approach to tackle the security issue and improve the safety of those in the Grade II-listed building and passers-by.

The yard at the back of York Dungeon's Clifford Street building (Image: Merlin Entertainements)

The application stated: “The sheltered nature of the yard which is generally hidden from view and little used has become a location for vagrants, drug use and assaults which have been reported to North Yorkshire Police over a long period.

“Equally the vagrancy use may result in the blocking of crucial fire exists or the accumulation of debris and a fire risk.

“The building users and owners wish to secure the isolated yard and remove the opportunity for its inappropriate use thereby protecting the buildings themselves alongside the general public and building users.

“Whilst some lighting and CCTV is in place this isn’t monitored permanently and is not a sufficient deterrent to prevent these actions or opportunists.

“The joint building owners and tenants under the guidance of the York Dungeon wish to secure the yard whilst maintain the fire exit provision and thus removing the risks and improving the safety for building users.”