Mannion & Co set to reopen after Blake Street disruption

Jonathon Webster, manager at Mannion and Co, in Blake Street, said he closed his business from Monday, January 15, because potential customers had very limited access during the work by City of York Council.

Now he says he will reopen from today as he needs the business.

The council has apologised for any inconvenience caused and said all affected businesses and residents were contacted about the works at the end of 2023.

On Thursday January 18, fencing on Blake Street blocked pedestrian access to Mannion's coming from St Helen's Square (Image: Kevin Glenton)

As reported by The Press, work in Blake Street to install York’s latest ‘anti-terrorism’ bollards were scheduled to begin on January 8.

Blake Street is the latest part of the city centre to face disruption as the bollards are installed.

The council said that the contractor’s public liaison officer would be visiting all businesses in Blake Street the week before work began to discuss access needs.

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Jonathon said a council representative visited the premises in advance of the works and told him that during the first part, access to the Mannion customer entrance would be possible from both the left and right-hand side of the door.

Jonathon said: “He said we would lose access in regards to people crossing over the road directly, because the road would be completely blocked off.

“But he said people would always be able to access the entrance from the right and left hand side of Blake Street.

“He described like a circular loop – customers would have to join at the far end and come round but they would always have access in either direction.

“Either way to the left or right there would be a continuous loop with enough space to join on either end with guaranteed access at either end.”

The council said Blake Street was expected to reopen in March (Image: Kevin Glenton)

The Press went to Blake Street on Sunday, January 15 and Thursday, January 18 and saw that pavement access to the premises was only from the junction of Blake Street and Duncombe Place.

James Gilchrist, director of transport, environment and planning at City of York Council, said: "We apologise for any inconvenience this work creates.

“All affected businesses and residents were contacted about this at the end of last year, ahead of works starting on January 8.

“This included speaking to businesses and residents directly about their access and delivery requirement, hand-delivering letters, issuing press releases, as well as putting prominent ‘businesses open as usual’ notices on Blake Street.”

But Jonathon said the current restricted access would mean many tourists would not visit the café.

He said: “Easily, 60-70 per cent of tourists would not go down there anyway. It’s that simple.

“As loyal as our regular customers are, the vast majority of our trade in York is tourism.”

Mr Gilchrist added: "Access to all businesses and homes is being maintained whilst the work is carried out.

“Pedestrians have through-access and signed-diversions are in place.

“Works during the week commencing January 22 will require a further access corridor to be created to Mannion & Co, but full access will be maintained for their customers.

“Later, the current footway closure on a section of the northern side of Blake Street will ‘switch sides’ to a section of the southern footway on February 1.

“Our officers and contractors continue to liaise with businesses and residents to ensure that any disruption is kept to a minimum.”

The council said it planned to reopen Blake Street by March and that, along with York BID and the Federation of Small Businesses, it is giving extra promotional support to all businesses on the street.