BUSINESSES in York have reported brisk trading over the Easter weekend, with the sun attracting more people than ever to the city.

Tony Sissons, president of the Licensed Victuallers' Association and landlord of The Three Cranes pub in the city centre, said his and other pubs had been busy all weekend.

Mr Sissons said: "It's been fantastic. We've had a booming weekend in the middle of town - absolutely fantastic."

He said good weather did not always help trade at The Three Cranes because there was no beer garden, but the sunshine had brought so many people into York it did not matter.

But at Pizza Hut, in Parliament Street, it was quieter than usual for an Easter weekend.

Manager Simon Copper said people had wanted to enjoy the fine weather while they could.

He said: "It's been relatively quiet, but it's mostly down to the sunshine.

"Would you rather be outside having sandwiches or inside?"

But the sunny weather had helped at least one York store.

Angela Stabler, personnel director at Browns department store, in Davygate, said the good weather had allowed them to set up an outdoor café, which has been full all weekend with people soaking up the rays.

She added that the sunshine had reminded people summer was definitely on its way, encouraging them to ditch their winter clothes and buy new summer dresses.

She said: "The good weather has worked in our favour we think and we have had a good weekend trade-wise."

Although there has been a lot of traffic on the roads, York police said there had been no problems except for one accident on the A64 on Saturday.

Sgt Jim Turney said: "We've had no complaints about traffic in the York area, certainly not to my knowledge.

"We've had no indication of snarl-ups although I'm sure it will have been slow-moving on the A64 as usual.

"The only thing that caused us a problem was the accident on the A64, but we were able to put diversions in place.

"So there's been lots of traffic - slow-moving, but moving."