York shop bosses slam suggestion of bylaw requiring doors to be shut

Cllr Christian Vassie said every household knew to keep their front door shut when it got cold.

"So why does basic common sense appear to be in such short supply in shops and businesses across the city centre?" he said. "Why do so many shops leave their front doors wide open, pouring heat and money straight out into the street?"

Cllr Vassie's solution: a council bylaw.

The chair of the council's climate emergency committee said: "It is, in all honesty, disgraceful that we allow hundreds of thousands of pounds of heat to pour out of shops’ open doorways. How many shops do we visit where there are heaters directly above the front door?

"Why do businesses do this? I have worked in a city centre business, one that prides itself on its environmental awareness. But it still burns energy with total abandon. The rationale is that if a business keeps its doors shut while the other businesses around it leave their doors open then they will lose trade because we, the customers, are all too lazy to push a door open.

"This has to stop. The council needs to pass bylaws to require all shop doors to be closed. If there is a level playing field then no businesses will be disadvantaged and we can stop the sorry spectacle of millions of pounds of heat being wasted in York’s city centre this winter."

The Levis shop in High Ousegate (Image: Supplied)

Cllr Andy D'agorne, the authority's deputy leader and leader of the Green group on the council, said the authority would need to take legal advice before it could even consider such an idea.

But he added: "I have already raised the issue with York BID suggesting a campaign to have door signs advising customers that the store is open but is keeping the door closed to stay warm and reduce costs. Personally I think this is an obvious first step for businesses facing potentially crippling increases in energy costs."

The bylaw idea has received short shrift from business leaders.

Andrew Lowson, the executive director of the York Business Improvement District (York BID) said it would be 'very poorly received'.

Andrew Lowson (Image: Unknown)

"Does the councillor not understand that all city centre businesses are very much focused on how they can save energy costs in the coming months?" he said.

"The last thing they need is time and money spent on a bylaw that would be viewed as unproductive and unhelpful. Has there been any thought on how this would this work with Covid advice on air circulation this winter? What about the accessibility issues that could be caused? Businesses need support at this time, not a condescending bylaw."

David Skaith (Image: supplied)

David Skaith, owner of Winston's men's clothing store on Back Swinegate and chair of the York High Street Forum, added: "Businesses are switched on. We don't need a bylaw telling us to keep our doors shut."

City of York Council has been approached for a comment.