YORK residents will have the chance to see their city in a new light this weekend, when a host of venues throw open their doors.

The annual Residents 1st weekend takes place tomorrow and Sunday, with more than 50 museums, tours and attractions open to locals. Numerous restaurants are also offering special deals to residents.

Attractions opening their doors include the Cold War Bunker, in Holgate; the archaeological DIG, at Hungate; Eden Camp; the Richard III Museum at Monk Bar; York Castle Museum; and York Dungeon.

Parliament Street will become a centre of activity, playing host to a football cage. The cage, which is being installed by the church group Global York, gives youngsters the chance to do battle with their football skills.

After this weekend, the group will take it round the city, visiting different neighbourhoods.

Rich Martin, of Global York, said: "It's the only cage in York and, as far as we know, North Yorkshire. Global will be using it to drop into local estates to work with young people who hang around on the streets.

"It's designed for two-on-two touch football and we will run a winner stays on competition. We will use it whenever there is a need for it - the point is it's portable so it can go anywhere. During the coming year it will be going around schools and can be hired out by local ward committees for their youth provision."

To mark Residents 1st weekend, York Pullman will be collecting passengers from additional stops on its way into town. The cost is £1, which includes the city centre tour. Route 1 will go into town via Bootham, route 2 via Tadcaster Road and route 3 via Acomb and Holgate.

Other attractions involved in the weekend include Clifford's Tower, Jorvik Viking Centre, the York City Archives, York Minster Tower and Undercroft, York Model Railway, the Bar Convent, the National Railway Museum and York Theatre Royal.

More information will be available from today until Sunday at the Residents 1st information point, in Parliament Street. Visitors to the information point will get the opportunity to win a night's accommodation and meal for two at the Royal York Hotel.

Anyone wanting to take part in the event will need a valid York Card to gain admission to the participating venues.

A card is required for each resident over the age of five, and the old blue, white and red card is no longer valid.

Anyone living within the City of York Council area is entitled to a York Card free of charge.

The card provides free or discounted entry to a selection of leisure facilities in the city, including museums and swimming pools, and also acts as a library card.

To get a York Card, take two copies of identification, including one showing your address, to any council library in York.


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