Archive
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Crowd pleasers
COULD the Friday crowd top the stakes during the Royal Procession? STEVE CARROLL decides they could. IT is becoming something of a home from home. The band struck up a familiar march, the path of the Ascot Landaus was starting to get a little worn. Her
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Alan's proud of his roots
GREEN-FINGERED TV star Alan Titchmarsh admitted he was blooming proud that York was hosting the world famous Royal meeting. Taking time out to speak to the Evening Press after lunch, in the Royal Enclosure, the Ground Force star also praised the quality
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We might be back
ROYAL ASCOT could yet be returning to Knavesmire if the Berkshire track is not ready in time for next year's event. Ascot chief executive Douglas Erskine-Crum has revealed that Royal Ascot at York has been such a success, the city would be "a front runner
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How to wash out NHS super bugs
In the week the Government released the latest hospital infection league tables, STEPHEN LEWIS reports on the drive towards better hospital hygiene. You put your left hand in, You put your left hand out, Touch another patient And you spread the bugs about
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Best bid by far - 24/06/05
York-based jockey Robert Winston, who rode four winners yesterday - three at Newcastle in the afternoon and another at Hamilton last night - can hit the jackpot tomorrow. He returns to Newcastle and teams-up with Far Pavilions in the Northumberland Plate
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York races rail remedy
Part of York racecourse will be railed off during the John Smith's meeting to preserve the ground following huge criticism of the going during Royal Ascot week. The most worn part of the track will be protected during the July 8-9 meet to avoid similar
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Rain on my parade
As the heavens opened, STEVE CARROLL braved the weather to get a close up look of the Royal Procession - on the rails. IF there was ever the question that Royalty possessed a Divine Right, then the Queen's entrance to Knavesmire may well have dispelled
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Marvellous start for York's Royal week
A FANTASTIC start. That was the view of race chiefs who witnessed a "magnificent" beginning to Royal Ascot at York. More than 35,000 found their home at York Racecourse as the first of five days of Royal racing got under way on Knavesmire. It was a testing
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Hotel package on auction site at £4,650
FIRST it was tickets, now companies looking to cash in on Royal Ascot at York are auctioning off hotel packages for the star-studded event. A company has used internet auction website ebay to advertise a five-night package at a city four-star hotel for
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Champion Frankie backs our Ascot
Frankie Dettori is in York today to sign copies of his autobiography. STEPHEN LEWIS spoke to him about the prospects for next year's York Ascot - and how it feels to be Champion Jockey again. WORRIES about traffic gridlock aside, just about everyone you
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Racing retreat
THE odds have been slashed on one of York's most historic homes opening its doors to Royal Ascot racegoers. Council chiefs looking at ways to make extra cash from the Mansion House, the city's plush civic property, are jumping on the Ascot bandwagon.
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50,000 tickets for York fans
ASCOT bosses gave York people 50,000 reasons to smile today, after announcing an enclosure for next year's showpiece event at Knavesmire would be on sale only to them. Tickets for the proposed rails enclosure at Royal Ascot at York will be restricted
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Ready to dance in the streets
CITY chiefs are planning a massive street festival to welcome Royal Ascot at York, the Evening Press can reveal. Although the plans are very much at the teething stage, the steering group charged with making next year's sporting showcase a success wants
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Top or Bottom?
IT'S normally full of backpackers, students and young families. But a tourist youth hotel in York is reserving bunk beds just for racegoers when Royal Ascot hits the city next summer. Stately homes, five-star hotels, picturesque country cottages, luxury
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City hotels defend Royal Ascot fees
A YORK hotel which is charging £2,700 for a five-night package during Royal Ascot has almost sold out. Only a dozen rooms at the 108-bedroom Marriott Hotel, which has a plum position overlooking York Racecourse, are still available for the prestigious
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Race traffic losers
DO the planners really know what they are doing regarding their proposed measures for the York/Ascot meeting? The closure of Tadcaster Road to out-of-town traffic from 11am until 2pm seems odd. Extra traffic will be travelling into the city, not out.
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£120,000 to use hotel when Ascot comes to town
OWNERS of a luxury hotel in the hub of Heartbeat country have slapped a massive £120,000 price tag on the use of the property when Royal Ascot rolls into York. Rich racegoers keen on a flutter are being asked to dig deep if they want the Mallyan Spout
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Work for Ascot traffic starts
WORK to beat raceday congestion during next year's Royal Ascot meeting at York is under way. City Of York Council will begin alterations to a traffic island at the junction of Tadcaster Road and St George's Place on Wednesday as part of its Royal Ascot
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Park and ride
A STATELY HOME near York which has ancient regal links and a place in racing history is to play its part in welcoming visitors to Royal Ascot in the city. Aldby Park, at Buttercrambe, which is owned by Mark and Alice Winn, will be available to let to
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Traffic changes trial next month
RADICAL plans to beat race-day congestion at all future race meetings in York will be trialled next month, council chiefs have agreed. City of York Council transport chiefs said the prospect of Royal Ascot at York next year had provided the catalyst for
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Royal Ascot dates at York are confirmed
ROYAL Ascot will come to York between June 14 and June 18 next year, horse racing chiefs confirmed today. The fixture list released by the sport's governing body, the British Horse Racing Board, has removed any doubt surrounding Yorks hosting the five-day
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Will York's royal date end traffic headache?
As a new traffic masterplan is unveiled for York race days, STEVE CARROLL and MIKE LAYCOCK look at what the proposals mean and what residents think of them. RESIDENTS have given a cautious welcome to radical plans to tackle York's race day traffic nightmare
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Traffic-buster for York races
HIGHWAYS bosses today unveiled radical plans to beat race-day congestion at all future race meetings in York. City of York Council said the prospect of Royal Ascot at York next year had provided the catalyst for reviewing route arrangements. The new arrangements
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On to a winner
York has a proven history of dealing with large successful events, says DAVID ANDREWS, chief executive of York-based Yorkshire Tourist Board, but for Ascot 2005 we must look further than the event itself. Railfest: What a marvellous event... Nine days
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Hot tips for Royal Ascot protocol
MAXINE GORDON makes her first visit to Royal Ascot to find out what York has to live up to next year. BY uttering the word Ascot, I had already fallen at the first hurdle. "Actually, it is Ascut," corrected my very proper colleague Charles Hutchinson
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Ascot rental safety alert
HOMEOWNERS planning to cash in when Royal Ascot comes to York have been warned they could be jailed if they forget vital home safety checks. People hoping to line their pockets during the festival by renting out their homes risk breaking the law, and
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Punters warned over
RACING chiefs today assured punters using common land on Knavesmire to watch Royal Ascot at York that they will be protected from unlicensed bookmakers. Ascot, York and council bosses said they would move to address fears that illegal bookies could set
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Race officials try to avoid gridlock
RACING officials today played down concerns about hundreds of thousands of spur-of-the-moment punters flocking to York for Royal Ascot. The possibility of colossal crowds - and potential traffic gridlock - was raised after York race committee chairman
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'Let the world come to Ascot'
"LET the world come to York." Those were the words of York race committee chairman Lord Halifax, who opened the doors of the city to tens of thousands of punters hoping to attend Royal Ascot. Speaking at the racecourse, Lord Halifax said he wanted to
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Ascot river boatman is on to a winner!
ALL ABOARD the good ship Ascot! Crafty homeowner Charlie Jackson, 39, of Main Street, Upper Poppleton, is to ferry high society punters to York Racecourse by boat during Royal Ascot week, when they rent out his cottage. He hit on the novel idea as a way
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Ascot house letting fears
CITY residents thinking of letting their homes out for Royal Ascot at York have been warned they may not be insured. Some homeowners' existing policies may not cover them in the event their homes are damaged or if tenants have an accident during the five-day
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Good news for York as Ascot gets planning go-ahead
YORK has almost certainly been given the green light to hold Royal Ascot in 2005, after planning chiefs gave the Berkshire-based racecourse approval for a £160 million refit. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has agreed to grant planning permission
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York gets rehearsal on Ascot traffic
REHEARSALS for Royal Ascot could help York cope with thousands of extra cars and several Royal visitors. City council chiefs hope to stage a dress rehearsal of measures designed to minimise the disruption caused by Royal Ascot, including accessing the
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York bid to beat Ascot gridlock
TRAFFIC experts hope to avoid bedlam in York city centre when motorists flock to Royal Ascot in 2005 - by forcing motorists to travel on the A64. Vehicles travelling from both north and south will be diverted from the A1 on to the A64 and will approach
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Temporary boxes for Ascot guests
YORK Racecourse will become home to a swathe of temporary structures when Royal Ascot arrives in the city. The plush executive chalets will be constructed to cater for box holders, should royalty arrive in June 2005. Ascot sells out all of its 287 boxes
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Ascot ready for the off
ASCOT chiefs are now very confident that York will host the Royal Meeting in 2005, racecourse bosses revealed. Officials at the Berkshire track believe Knavesmire will be awash with "society" in 18 months, after announcing that an ambitious redevelopment
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Celebrating Business Angels take to the river
ANGELS were seen floating down the river at York this week. They were among the 142 members of the Yorkshire Association of Business Angels (YABA) celebrating the organisation's tenth anniversary with a dinner cruise on the Ouse. YABA provides a forum
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Review: Terence Charlston and the Georgian Ensemble; St George's Church, York
SOME call it York's most significant historic organ, even including the leviathan in the Minster. It is certainly one of the city's oldest. The organ in St George's, George Street, Walmgate, is up and running again, after a huge reordering and restoration
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Preview: Musical festival highlights
SALLY Burgess will open the Northern Aldborough Festival 2005 this evening in the company of David Blake at the piano at Aldborough Church, near Boroughbridge, at 7.15pm. The mezzo soprano will be singing songs by Brecht, Weill and Eisler, and selections
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Preview: G4, Grand Opera House, York, June 30
Just A Quickie with... Jon Ansell of The X Factor's nice pop opera boys G4, who play the Grand Opera House, York, on Thursday. How did G4 come together? "It started when we went up to the Guildhall School of Music. We'd do musical theatre, operetta, Gilbert
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Preview: Music shorts
LEGENDARY harmonica player Mojo Buford makes a repeat visit to the Deep Blues Club in York on Thursday. Born in 1929 in Hernando, Mississippi, he learned harmonica from his father and sang in the church choir. On moving to Memphis at 14, he met BB King
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Beware visitors
York will field an unchanged team when they entertain Cleethorpes In the Yorkshire ECB Premier League and will be conscious that the Lincolnshire club were 2003 champions. They are the sort of side that could endanger York's 13-point lead over Harrogate
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Television show did no favours for villagers of Botton
FOR more than 30 years I have known and watched the Camphill Trust work their miracles at Botton village. I have seen the hard work done by many volunteers, and houseparents and visited them on their open days once a year. The villagers are proud of their
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Not this summer
AFTER the recent correspondence about the use of part of Clarence Gardens as a temporary car park for the competitors in the York Open Bowls Championships, July 25-30, I can now confirm City of York Council will not be instigating this scheme this summer
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North Yorkshire packing company is bought out
ONE of Malton's biggest employers has been bought out by a Danish company. Pro-Pak Foods, the £25 million turnover meat packing company and manufacturer of chilled ready meals, which employs 300 staff at York Industrial Park, Malton, has been acquired
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Wry and dry wit
HARK, the "Hearld angel" sings... For the full impact and amazing medicinal effects of columnist Bill Hearld's wry humour, and John Robson's (Letters, June 11), face-to-face treatment is prescribed. I've been there, done that. Never been the same since
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My anger over rant on snares
I SEE we have another MP interfering in country matters from a position of complete ignorance. I refer to Phil Willis's rant about snares causing animals pain and suffering (June 22). How does he know? Was he a rabbit or fox in a former life, or perhaps
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Private thoughts
IN this age of political correctness I wonder if Private Amy-Jane Harrop's success was correctly stated as a marksman? Or should it have been markswoman or perhaps marksperson? And why does your report refer to her as Private Amy-Jane Harrop when your
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They're racing to get it all done
And they're off. As Royal Ascot finally arrives in York, JO HAYWOOD talks to four women working hard behind the scenes. THEY are the cogs that keep the Ascot machine running smoothly. They ensure the punters look good, sleep soundly and are well fed and
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Review: The 39 Steps, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, until July 16
PATRICK Barlow has "touched up" The 39 Steps, and thankfully there is no law against it. He not only touches up Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon's original concept of a stage adaptation of John Buchan's novel but tickles its tummy and has it eating out of
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Preview: Playing God, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, various dates between June 30 and Septemb
Introducing... Playing God, the first stage play by the TV sitcom team of Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran. A chance meeting with Scarborough playwright Alan Ayckbourn has led to sitcom stalwarts Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran realising their desire to
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Preview: The Fence, Wrestling School Theatre Company, York Theatre Royal, York, June 29 to July 2
THE Times has called Howard Barker "Britain's greatest living playwright", and the ever controversial Barker would no doubt agree. "I've never sought to be controversial, but I know a lot of people in the theatre establishment detest my work, though I
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Preview: The Philanthropist, York Settlement Players, Friargate Theatre, York, June 29 to July 2
WILL women ever understand men? Does anyone care if the Government is assassinated? Is anybody listening? Find out in Christopher Hampton's comedy The Philanthropist, first performed at the Royal Court in 1970 and now to be revived by York Settlement
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Car arsons on decline
FIRE chiefs today revealed that the number of vehicles being deliberately torched in York has plummeted. Figures released by North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service show that in 2004/2005 there were 112 deliberate vehicle fires in the city, compared
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Tribunal right win for worker
THE former marketing director of inward investment organisation york- england.com has won the right to take his bosses to an employment tribunal. Dave Taylor, who still works for City of York Council, but was previously on secondment to york-england.com
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Scooter charity receives £1,500
TRAVELLING around York has just got better for those with mobility problems - thanks to this new scooter donated by the owners of the Evening Press. Shopmobility York, which loans scooters and wheelchairs to people who struggle to get about the city,
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Thugs who fight in the street face pub bans
YOBS who break the law on the streets after drinking sessions could have pub doors shut in their face for the first time. York MP Hugh Bayley discovered last year that magistrates cannot exclude offenders from bars, pubs and clubs if they break the law
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£25,000 grant is a credit to city council
A SCHEME to bring a credit union to York was handed a new boost after council chiefs proposed handing the organisation a £25,000 grant. City of York Council leader Steve Galloway is set to use part of a £100,000 underspend in the authority's annual budget
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Gagged!
A LOCAL councillor claimed today he was being gagged from speaking out over a controversial late licence application for York's Barbican Centre. Fishergate representative Mark Hill said that when a licensing committee decides on plans to keep serving
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Leeman watch as Cueball spring a Leake
PETE Leake gamed in 17 darts for Cueball in the York John Smith's Mixed League. Leake then partnered Michelle Britton in a 23-dart pairs leg to inspire his side to a convincing 8-3 result over Leeman 'A'. Slipper had Paul Partridge out in 19 as they recorded
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Motorists in gridlock hell
MOTORISTS faced gridlock across York today after two accidents on a North Yorkshire motorway triggered road chaos in the city. Cars queued on the A64 eastbound from Tadcaster to the Hopgrove Roundabout, as drivers tried to avoid severe problems on the
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Flood victims braced for more rain
NERVOUS flood-hit communities in North Yorkshire held their breath today as forecasters predicted even more torrential rain. As weathermen warned that a month's rain could fall today in parts of the region, residents in the Helmsley and Thirsk areas -
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Steve plots Wales way to England
NORTH Yorkshire snooker teenager Steve Gregson is set to play for England. The 15-year-old from Stockton-on-the-Forest has been chosen to make his international debut in the Pontin's Under-21 Home Internationals at Prestatyn, Wales, in September. Gregson
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Rob's ready and steady
The National Road Race Cycling Championships will go ahead this weekend after race routes hit by flash flooding were given the all-clear. The cream of the country's top cycling talent are descending on North Yorkshire for the men's 206-kilometre race
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Car park delay for hospital
WORK on a new car park at York Hospital, which was due to start this week, has had to be put on hold after a firm sub-contracted to work on the project went into liquidation. This new stumbling block means that traffic gridlock, which has been frustrating
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Mid-stunner Knights dream
YORK City Knights head towards the half-way mark of the season with an almost identical record as last term - but Lee Jackson reckons the class of 2005 can go one better this time. Mick Cook's team currently top LHF National League Two with seven wins
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Is it time for a check-up?
Are we all getting the routine health checks we should do? Health Reporter Charlotte Percival investigates how the local NHS runs the "screening" process. MOST of us get through our early lives without worrying about our blood pressure and cholesterol
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Cerato beats rivals on cost
Motoring Editor MALCOLM BAYLIS enjoys the ride in the first diesel car in Kia's range. IN the past it has been too easy for some motoring magazines and columnists to write off the Kia range of cars. In fact, truth be known, they are worth keeping an eye
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More jams
PATIENTS, doctors, nurses and motorists will give a collective groan. One of York's knottiest traffic problems is set to continue for a few months more after contractors building a two-storey hospital car park went bust. Anyone wishing to enter York Hospital
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The Royals arrive in York
Grey has never been Ascot's hue. But, as STEVE CARROLL found out, despite the murky weather, the Royal Procession still brought the explosion of colour everybody had hoped for. Champagne lawns, marquees and the whirring of helicopters aside, Royal Ascot
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£50m windfall on the cards
ABOUT £50 million is set to pour into York and North Yorkshire's coffers as Royal Ascot gets under way. Tourism bosses and economics experts believe there could be even more in the city kitty if racecourse crowds are as big as is hoped. As the spotlight
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A right royal welcome for passengers
PUNTERS stepping off the train at York Station for Royal Ascot will be handed a right royal welcome. GNER's two station business managers, Steve Soards and Mark Smith, will be donning top hat and tails to greet passengers as they arrive in the historic
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Costa del York on way
ONCE Parliament breaks up for the summer, it's a fair bet that Tony Blair will pack his shorts, suntan oil and shades and jet off on holiday. In recent years the PM and his family have swanned off to Tuscany, Barbados, Egypt, the south of France and Mexico
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Week will live long in our minds
The final Royal Procession was a poignant affair, as STEVE CARROLL discovered. SO it was time to say goodbye. The Royal Procession snaked its way across Knavesmire's straight course for the last time, and we all waved knowing that this was the end. The
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Doomsayers proved wrong says Galloway
CITY council leader Steve Galloway, left, hailed the success of Royal Ascot at York - but hit out at those who had tried to profit from the event. Coun Galloway said he was grateful to those who had helped produce an event "that the city is proud of"
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People's party
THERE may not have been a top hat or an Arab sheikh in sight, but for thousands of York residents it was all about having fun. More than 8,000 Yorkies crammed into the residents-only Rails Enclosure for the final day of Royal Ascot. And it truly was the
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Traffic plan may be used for regular race events
COUNCIL bosses will hold talks this week to see whether parts of York's race day traffic master plan can be used during other big Knavesmire meetings. City of York Council transport chiefs will be debriefed on the success of a plan which kept the city
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Slow week for traders
HAT sales boomed in York during Royal Ascot - but trade in general has been branded "pretty dire" by a leading retailer. At Fenwick's in Coppergate, store chiefs stocked up on huge supplies of hats in preparation for the week, with race-goers buying headgear
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City missed Ascot boat
As Royal Ascot romps home into the final furlong today there will be plenty of people asking what was all the fuss about? Turn back the clocks a few months and we were worrying about traffic congestion, or calculating how to make a fast buck at the expense
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York taxi drivers' buses anger
ANGRY taxi drivers taking punters to Royal Ascot claimed they were being blocked in by buses. Alan Rowley, secretary of York Taxi Association, described the situation on the first day of Ascot as a "nightmare", with many taxi drivers not being able to
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A Royal spectacle
The biggest Royal Ascot day brought the grandest of Royal Processions, as STEVE CARROLL discovered. IT was as if the previous two days had been just rehearsals. From the moment the horse hooves stepped out onto the Knavesmire turf the cheering began in
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Celeb spotting
HE'S known for being a small sportsman - but grumpy soccer star Michael Owen's temper proved even shorter at Ascot. Asked for a few words for Evening Press readers he snapped: "I'm not doing anything." He also dodged questions from other reporters as
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The Winners...
WINNERS at Royal Ascot have not been confined to the racecourse. While some York businesses have been losing out this week, others have been reporting a boost in trade. Even those a bit further afield have enjoyed a busy few days. Kay Hyde, of York Tourism
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Ghostly goings-on
MINOR changes to the approach to Royal Ascot and car park entrances made sure that every road-going racegoer arrived before 1pm. Traffic bosses said the A64 and Tadcaster Road was "like a ghost town" 90 minutes before the first race began at 2.30pm yesterday
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Agnew's Pool cue
FORMER York City captain Steve Agnew has been named Hartlepool United's new assistant manager. Agnew, who scored five goals in 90 matches for the Minstermen between 1998 and 2001, has left his position as a reserve team coach at Leeds United to work with
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Way we were
Friday, June 24, 2005 100 years ago The third and concluding day of the Grand Yorkshire Gala, in Bootham Park, York, was again favoured with good weather. The various attractions included acrobats, a firework display, and the "Centaur" steam roundabout
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Refreshing change
FLIMSY frocks were out in force at Knavesmire, as the clouds parted to let the sun beat down on the racing calendar's most high profile and glamorous meeting. After a wet start to Royal Ascot at York, with Tuesday and Wednesday proving particularly dreary
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Celeb spotting
TORY grandee and former shadow defence spokesman Nicholas Soames praised Royal Ascot as "wonderful". Mr Soames, who is the grandson of Winston Churchill, watched yesterday's races from the Royal Enclosure. "I think it has been fantastic," he said. "York
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Man about town...
TWENTY-FOUR hours late for Ladies Day, racegoer Marcus Curtis found his Ascot attire a real drag. He donned an eye-catching dress for Friday's meeting, and joked that he missed Ladies Day because he was "stuck in traffic". Marcus, 30, from South Shields
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Knavesmire attendance highest so far
ROYAL Ascot at York was hailed as "outstanding" by the Duke of York after more than 50,000 racegoers created a modern-day record on Knavesmire. He spoke at a glittering reception held in the Mansion House to honour the achievements of the Evening Press
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Vibrant Villagers
Heworth ARLC under-16s have enjoyed one of their most successful seasons to date. Under coaches Dave Edgar and Bob Pearce, the young Villagers were runners-up in the Yorkshire Youth League division two, finalists in the top four play-offs and had a fine
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Forward push
The drive to carry New Earswick All Blacks Rugby League Club out of Pennine League division two as champions at the first attempt was rewarded this week as four forwards received plaudits. Loose forward Chris Judge was the top try-scorer after the former
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Acorn's appeal
York Acorn Rugby League Club are inviting boys and girls aged 11-15 to an open training session. All beginers are welcome and will be coached by qualified staff at the club's Thanet Road base on Wednesday, June 25 at 5pm. There is to be a barbecue after
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Claire wears it well
FORMER Brookside beauty Claire Sweeney has admitted she "loves" Ascot in York. The ex-soap actress and West End star turned heads outside the Royal Enclosure at Knavesmire in a stunning gold dress. When asked what she thought about the Royal race coming
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Celeb spotting
THE Queen of Countdown joined a football star and a larger than life comic at Royal Ascot. Looking suitably attired for the weather was TV presenter Carol Vorderman, who was in the Royal Enclosure with partner Des Kelly. Sporting a long white coat, with
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Racing ahead in the fashion stakes
Glamorous headgear and glitzy outfits forged to the head of the field and sent the snappers wild, as Nadia Jefferson-Brown discovered. THE going was drizzly to miserable, but the weather failed to dampen the style at Royal Ascot in York. Among those on
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Getting in a jam
TRAVELLERS heading into York by road and rail for Royal Ascot faced a series of hurdles - from jammed roads to broken-down trains. Some motorists experienced delays of up to two hours as 42,000 people descended on the Knavesmire for the first day of the
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Over the odds, or a realistic price
WITH the letting markets for Royal Ascot failing to take off, STEVE CARROLL looks at why York dreams of quick cash are not coming true. HUNTERS Estate Agent says it is at a market price. Yet the two-bedroom modern terraced house in Tang Hall Lane is still
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Get real
YORK householders' dreams of making a mint out of Royal Ascot received a setback today as they were told to "get real". Andrew Lindsay, president of York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said the idea that York people were going to let their houses
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Festival tickets on sale at double original price
ROYAL Ascot tickets are being touted at more than double their face value on the internet, the Evening Press can reveal. Grandstand and course badges for next year's premier event at York Racecourse are being offered at the exorbitant rates on auction
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Ascot-bound let train take strain
TOFFS who want to arrive at Royal Ascot in York in style are hiring rail trips to the city on the Orient Express. Travel company Charterhouse Mercantile Leisure has chartered the famous Northern Belle train to ferry high society to Knavesmire in comfort
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York is nation's favourite city
YORK has been voted the nation's favourite British city in a new national poll. The city's cobbled streets, city walls and historic charm won it pride of place in the Daily Telegraph Travel Awards, knocking London off its six-year top spot. York also
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We've had another great year's racing
BOSSES at York Racecourse were celebrating today after record numbers of racing fans flocked to the city's Knavesmire for the second year running. In a major boost as the course gears up for Royal Ascot next June, they announced that a total of 289,391
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Prestige Ascot tickets sell out
GRANDSTAND tickets for the prestige day at next year's Royal Ascot at York sold out in just over three hours. Tens of thousands of tickets for Gold Cup day on Thursday, June 16, next year, were snapped up when booking for the showpiece event opened yesterday
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Race for tickets
RACE fans will get their chance to book tickets for next year's showpiece sporting event in York when Royal Ascot tickets go on sale on Monday. Ascot bosses have urged York people who want to attend the five-day festival of horse racing and pageantry
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Bunking up for Ascot
TENS of thousands of pounds will safely secure the cream of high society a luxury penthouse flat, stately home or five-star hotel when Royal Ascot comes to York. But now there's an odds-on clear favourite in the race to find the cheapest place to stay
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We won't let the sharks spoil Ascot
YORK'S great festival of racing next year will not be spoilt by hospitality sharks and hotel price-hikes, racegoers were reassured today. Many hoteliers and guest house-owners have indicated that they do not intend to "profiteer" when Royal Ascot comes
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Ascot boycott threat
TAXI drivers in York are planning to boycott Royal Ascot because they are sick of race-day roads chaos. Cabbies claim the trial aimed at calming congestion during this week's Ebor Festival has been a "nightmare". Now the Evening Press understands scores
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York probe over Ascot tickets
TRADING standards investigators in York are to look into price claims made by a company which is guaranteeing Ascot hospitality tickets to racegoers - even though they don't officially go on sale until October. Colin Rumford, of the city council's trading
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"Ascot is our chance to show what York can offer"
STEPHEN LEWIS talks to York's tourism chief about parking charges and Royal Ascot. GILLIAN Cruddas has very eloquent eyebrows. Ask her what she thinks of York's new evening parking charges and they take flight: a quizzical expression that speaks volumes
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The Queen's B&B?
Where will The Queen stay when Royal Ascot comes to York next year? STEVE CARROLL takes a light-hearted look at the options. CONFIRMATION that the centrepiece of Royal Ascot - the Royal Procession - is coming to York has put Royalists in the city in all
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Who pays for Ascot?
YORK awaits next year's Royal Ascot with fevered anticipation. It promises to be a great event and will give the city the sort of promotion and exposure of which tourism bosses can normally only dream. For five days, the eyes of the world will be on York
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Police in talks on York bill for Ascot
POLICE chiefs are locked in top-level talks to prevent local council taxpayers picking up the multimillion-pound bill for policing Royal Ascot at York. Officers say the meeting at York Racecourse will be the largest pre-planned event that the force has
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Ascot-style Royal procession hopes
PLANNING is under way to bring the centrepiece of Royal Ascot to York when the famous race meeting moves north. Bosses at Ascot have confirmed that moves are being made to cater for a Royal visit should York Racecourse host the five-day festival of horse
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Hat the races
Evening Press reporter STEVE CARROLL donned his top hat for a day at Royal Ascot to see what York can expect when it hosts the meeting next year. THEY were gathering several hours before the first race. The horses were the last thing on their minds. As
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Winning the fashion stakes
JUST how way out is too far? Never far enough, judging by the standards in the Royal Ascot fashion stakes. An upturned umbrella tipped with peacock feathers, a hat in the shape of a shoe, and a Picasso-inspired creation complete with an embroidered eye
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Tax alert over Ascot rentals
RESIDENTS hoping to cash in on Royal Ascot 2005 by renting out York homes have been warned not to forget the taxman. City firm Countrywide Residential Lettings issued the alert as the race to rent properties for the racing showpiece gathered momentum.
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It's all yours for £32,500 a week
FANCY renting a luxury stately pad for Royal Ascot in York ? Got a spare £32,500 lying around the house? In the unlikely event the answer to both these questions is yes, a North Yorkshire stately home could be yours for a whole seven days. The owners
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Will Posh and Becks be spending Ascot at Aldwark?
RUMOURS were intensifying today that the Beckhams may come to York for Ascot. A well-placed source in the racing world claimed gossip was rife among jockeys that David and Victoria would be staying at the Aldwark Manor Hotel, near Easingwold, for the
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In the loop
LOOPING round Knavesmire to complete a full circuit, the ongoing track extension work at York Racecourse reveals the steps being taken to bring Royal Ascot to the city. The bulldozers have been hard at work laying new turf in preparation for the five-day
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Student offers Ascot flat for £18,500
A 21-YEAR-OLD student is set to cash in on Royal Ascot at York - after slapping an £18,500 price tag on his penthouse property. The massive rent, which is almost as much as many York people earn in a year, will give those willing to pay the price a week-long
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Ascot gate set at 50,000 per day
YORK Royal Ascot preparations cleared another hurdle today after the way was cleared for a quarter of a million racegoers to enjoy the prestigious meeting. With a maximum of 50,000 people now being allowed to attend each day of the five-day meeting, modern
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Royal focus for York
RACE chiefs will be expecting a visit from "the Palace" shortly to discuss the Queen's trip to Knavesmire when York holds Royal Ascot in 2005. A council report reveals that, although nothing is yet set in stone, "an initial visit from The Royal Household
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North Yorkshire packing company is bought out
ONE of Malton's biggest employers has been bought out by a Danish company. Pro-Pak Foods, the £25 million turnover meat packing company and manufacturer of chilled ready meals, which employs 300 staff at York Industrial Park, Malton, has been acquired
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Preview: The Kings Of Swing Grand Opera House, York, June 26
THE Rat Pack is back. The Kings Of Swing celebrate the finger-clicking Las Vegas era of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin in Sunday's 7.30pm show with the 15-piece Nelson Riddle Tribute Orchestra at the Grand Opera House, York. Last year, this smooth two-hour
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Preview: Jazz notes
TO many people, music is often no more than an accessory to drinking, dancing, dressing up and getting off with people. Last Sunday the audience at the Victoria Vaults had such nonsense driven from their minds as they were taken by the scruff of their
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We had great time in York
MY family and I have just spent a wonderful weekend in York and I had to tell you what a wonderful city you have. It was so clean and neat and tidy, everyone was so helpful and friendly and made us so very welcome. We will certainly be back because we
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Cert-tainly not!
I AM furious that Chris and Sarah Wood can say: "Certificate 18 gives very little - if anything - back to the community around it". I am involved in organising charity events in the city, and Certificate 18 in Gillygate, York, has been more than happy
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Rock on back...
THANKS to everyone who attended the successful Rowntree Musical Theatre production of Little Shop Of Horrors at The Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York. The show attracted many new faces to this lovely theatre and the cast is still receiving accolades for their
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Shrugging it off
ISN'T it incredible that Gordon Brown and Tony Blair can make such a powerful international case for the massive debt of Third World nations to be written off? Yet they seem to shrug their shoulders about the financial problems caused to citizens of this
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Pleasant change
I READ Paul Furness's letter (June 11) with amazement. Does he really buy two of the top broadsheets in this country, the Daily Telegraph and The Guardian, only to scan them for (imagined) insults from the south to the north and then apparently tabulate
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Count cost to city
TO sound a more questioning note than the rather self-congratulatory tone of most of your reporting of Royal Ascot at York, I ask what the estimated environmental cost has been to the city. Has the city council undertaken an environmental impact assessment
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RSPCA puts up too many barriers for potential kitten re-homers
MY young daughter and I visited the RSPCA off Water Lane, York. We have been toying with the idea of getting a cat or kitten for a while and thought the best way was to wander around the RSPCA until an animal appealed to us. We were disappointed to find
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We're only too happy to help...
THESE are the meeters and greeters who will be providing York visitors with a friendly face during Royal Ascot week. The 36-strong team of City of York Council employees will be sporting eye-catching orange polo shirts and baseball caps emblazoned with
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Follow rules to keep moving
Royal Ascot at York will mean restrictions for motorists in some areas of the city centre. STEVE CARROLL explains how to get around during race week. MAKING congestion as manageable as possible means York residents will be affected more than just by the
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Watery way to get to the races
A YORK boat operator has come up with a stress free alternative for people travelling to Royal Ascot. York Incoming has teamed up with Waterline Leisure to provide two Ascot Boats which will make trips back and forth along the mile stretch between Skeldergate
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Preview: Abigail's Party, York Theatre Royal, July 8 to 23
YORK Theatre Royal will tap into the fashion for Seventies retro in its summer production, Abigail's Party. Mike Leigh's acerbic satire on middle-class England will be played out in "full Seventies' style crime" in Marcus Romer's production from July
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Morrisons told to remove signs
A supermarket giant was today being told to remove controversial restrictions from a York car park. Dozens of people who live and work in Acomb complained to the Evening Press and City of York Council after Morrisons put up signs warning motorists that
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Era we go on Shaun spree
Motorcycle newcomer Shaun Brown is burning up the track in a first title pitch in the New Era Championship, writes Claire Hughes. The 19-year-old only climbed on a bike a year ago but is already being tipped for a hot future. He took four out of five
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Passengers smash windows to get air after train breaks down
A NORTH YORKSHIRE pensioner was among hundreds of people trapped on a broken-down train as temperatures soared to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Michael Steed, a retired journalist from Easingwold, said people around him began to panic and pass out as the heat
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Rob Brydon in The Keith Barret Show - Live, Grand Opera House, York, June 27
Keith Barret has become a household name as the chauffeur with a dismal love-live. Now, finally visiting York, his alter ego, Rob Brydon, talks to CHARLES HUTCHINSON about life as the Welsh windbag. THE Keith Barret Show - Live should have been live in
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Polo to build on its success
YOU could say that the Volkswagen Polo has been a tad successful during its 30 years on the road. Not only has it scored sales success after sales success since it was first launched back in 1975, but it remains a firm favourite among supermini buyers
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Micra gets more cute and sporty
IN the world of high fashion, looks change with the season. The same goes for the world of stylishly elegant city cars, and the Micra is no exception. Just two years after it went on sale, the model has gone under the technician's shears. And there are
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Schools get tougher
NEWS that the number of York pupil exclusions has doubled in three years could be taken as evidence of a breakdown in school discipline. In fact, it indicates the precise opposite. Allowing for our tendency to demonise the younger generation, it would
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Yorkshire society checked off
GETTING into the Royal Enclosure is not that difficult this year, but getting to the Royal Enclosure yesterday most definitely was, unless you arrived by helicopter or Royal carriage. Those travelling from north or west of York had to contend with the
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Water way to beat the jams
RACEGOERS can beat the traffic and travel to the racecourse in style, if they take to the river during Royal Ascot at York. York Incoming has teamed up with Waterline Cruises to launch Ascotboat - a waterbus running from Skeldergate to the racecourse
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Hotel's £4.2m revamp ready for Royal Ascot
THIS stunning view of York Racecourse could persuade some Ascot racegoers to leave the hustle and bustle of the track behind. The lucky visitors who have booked this, and 17 other suites, at York's Marriott Hotel will see Knavesmire in all its glory during
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Forest, York Art Gallery July 2 to September 4
AT Mulgrave Woods, Sandsend, Wilson + Wilson are staging their walking play, Mulgrave. In the woods of Ripley Castle, A Midsummer Night's Dream is frolicking each night. At Dalby Forest, Madness and Beautiful South will play in a woodland clearing this
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Flag flies proudly on Knavesmire
ROYALTY has arrived on Knavesmire. The Royal Standard was presented at York Racecourse before it was hoisted to signal the arrival of The Queen for five days of racing and high society. It was proudly flown above the racecourse today from the moment the
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Royal approval for 'significant' moment
ROYAL ASCOT at York was declared one of the most significant racing events in living memory - by none other than the Queen. The Duke of Devonshire, Her Majesty's representative at Ascot, said thefive-day festivalhad been "a moment of history". He spoke
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Ascot boom or bust?
The race meeting was a triumph, but not everyone emerged from the week a winner. CHRIS TITLEY examines the Royal Ascot experience. MORE used to dodging brickbats, City of York Council has been garlanded with bouquets this week. Two years ago, when York
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Knight vision to give City boost
YORK City supporters can help raise money for their club by watching their table-topping rugby league neighbours in action next weekend. Tickets for York City Knights' National League Division Two home clash with Keighley Cougars on Sunday, July 3 are
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Knavesmire classic hope
THE country's oldest classic horse race could be on its way to York's Knavesmire following the massive success of Royal Ascot. York Racecourse is in line to host the 2006 St Leger - if a redevelopment plan at Doncaster means that course has to shut. Chiefs
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Mid-stunner Knights dream
YORK City Knights head towards the half-way mark of the season with an almost identical record as last term - but Lee Jackson reckons the class of 2005 can go one better this time. Mick Cook's team currently top LHF National League Two with seven wins
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Titus ramble
NORTH Yorkshire trainers brought the curtain down on Royal Ascot at York with a winning double on Saturday. Sutton Bank-based Bryan Smart and Middleham's Mark Johnston triumphed in the opening two races on the final day of the royal meeting which pulled
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Songs of praise
THEY refused to go home. More than 10,000 remained to say a tuneful farewell to Royal Ascot at York at the final communal singing. STEVE CARROLL was with them. TO the sound of the band, they swayed. Whether that was a result of the catchy tune, the scorching
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It all adds up to huge York feast
£5M. That's what punters at Royal Ascot are spending on champagne alone. It must be the biggest feast that York has ever seen. Champagne, fine wines, smoked salmon and strawberries have been wolfed down in staggering quantities during the five-day Royal
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148 injured
Paramedics treated 148 people for injuries during Ladies Day at Royal Ascot, more than on any other day of the event so far. Of those, seven were taken to York Hospital for further treatment, on the third day of the races. Updated: 12:54 Saturday, June
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On course for a party
ROYAL Ascot's final act of 2005 was dubbed People's Saturday, as York racegoers flocked to Knavesmire to say farewell to a fantastic five days of racing. A crowd in excess of 50,000 was expected for today's last day of racing, with as many as 8,000 York
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Council A64 alert anger
BUSINESS owners reacted with anger to a council warning to motorists to avoid the A64 today. Traffic bosses urged anyone wishing to travel to the east coast to find an alternative route to avoid traffic making its way to and from the racecourse on the
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On a wing and a... shell
IN these days of cloned high streets, the Diary is always window shopping for something out of the ordinary. And wouldn't you know it, the oddest item for sale in York was right under our noses. Across the road from our luxurious Walmgate offices is a
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Duke of York praises community heroes
IT was easy to pick a winner at Royal Ascot York as the city's finest community heroes enjoyed a day at the races in honour of their outstanding achievements. After spending the day at Knavesmire, award winners from the York Community Pride 2004 campaign
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Soap stars join the crowds
SOAP stars from Emmerdale were among the celebrities at the racecourse. Verity Rushworth, Emmerdale's Donna Windsor, said it was her first visit to York. "We're going in the Royal Enclosure and I'm very excited. We'll be having lots of champagne." Her
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Winners in the fashion stakes
Evening Press Women's Editor Maxine Gordon picks the winners in the Ladies Day fashion stakes at Royal Ascot at York. I'M not a betting woman, but I could not resist a flutter on Fashionable in the 3.05 at Royal Ascot yesterday. After all, it was Ladies
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Time to behave
ASCOT racegoers have been warned they will be hit in the pocket if they misbehave on the city's streets. Chief Superintendent Tim Madgwick said officers were ready to hand out £80 on-the-spot fines to troublemakers. It was the first time the fixed penalty
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...and the losers
CLOSED signs have been displayed in some York businesses which were unable to cash in on Royal Ascot fever. Micklegate has reportedly become a daytime "ghost town" this week - a situation shopowners have blamed on the council's Ascot traffic plan. Now
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Knight vision to give City boost
YORK City supporters can help raise money for their club by watching their table-topping rugby league neighbours in action next weekend. Tickets for York City Knights' National League Division Two home clash with Keighley Cougars on Sunday, July 3 are
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Duke of York takes Minster project to New York
PRINCE ANDREW attended a dinner in New York last night to raise much-needed funds for the restoration of York Minster. A major campaign has been launched to restore the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe to its former glory. The Duke of York
