Tourists' verdict on York: 'It's awful – too busy'
I AM a tourist guide in York and regularly speak to 20+ tourists weekly, the majority of whom have visited many cities in Europe and elsewhere in UK.
Considering an average coffee is £4 and an ice cream £4, without exception, they agree that an extra few pounds would make no difference.
But, perhaps if York could get a massive clean, a method of dealing with the drunks and beggars who loiter around the city centre, and the provision of decent public toilets, we could see more satisfied tourists but and I say this with caution: how many tourists can York cope with?
"I didn't think it would be this busy, it's awful," is a regular comment.
I can't believe any business in York is not making significant profit - just look at how quickly empty units find new tenants.
Name and address supplied
Remember all those who lost their lives at Aberfan
SIXTY years have passed since the Aberfan disaster, one of the darkest days in Welsh history.
The tragedy took the lives of 116 children and 28 adults, many of them at Pantglas Junior School when the school was overwhelmed by a collapsing coal tip.
As someone who has lived nearby in Merthyr Tydfil, I have always felt that Aberfan is a place where the memory of that day never truly fades. The village carries a quiet dignity and remembrance that can still be felt today.
On this anniversary, let us remember all those who lost their lives and those who endured unimaginable grief in the years that followed. May they never be forgotten, and may they rest in peace.
Birch Close,
York
Recommended reading:
- 'York is slipping into a cesspit of its own making'
- Changing Blossom Street: The shops, characters and stories of a lost York
- Spark:York – will the council keep its word over the future of this city attraction?
- Inside York's booming Padel Farm as Britain's fastest-growing sport takes off
Letter from Santa – for all children with vision impairment
THINGS may only just be cooling down after what has certainly been a long hot summer, but at the North Pole, things are hotting up with the elves and Father Christmas already gearing up for another jam-packed festive season.
Once more, the residents of the North Pole are teaming up with their friends at RNIB (the Royal National Institute of Blind People) to make sure that every child experiences the magic that Christmas time brings by helping Santa reply to their letters in a format that’s accessible to them.
In the lead up to Christmas Day, children with a vision impairment can receive their very own Letter from Santa from RNIB in braille, large print, audio or email format, completely free of charge.
Last year, more than 1,600 children across the UK were brought the joy of Christmas magic by receiving a letter from Santa in an accessible format thanks to RNIB and Father Christmas’s elves.
If you know a child with a vision impairment who would love to receive an accessible Letter from Santa, please visit www.rnib.org.uk/santa. The last date to request a physical letter in braille, large print or audio is Monday, November 30.
For a Letter from Santa in email format, you have until Tuesday, December 15, to submit your request.
Remember to include the child’s name, age, address, the format they’d like their letter in, and whether they’d like to receive their letter in English or Welsh, and then leave it to Santa’s elves to sort out the magic.
From everyone at RNIB and at the North Pole, we wish you a magical Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
Library Engagement Manager at RNIB (the Royal National Institute of Blind People)