Shoppers reveal what they'd like in York City Centre

Major changes are set to take place in Coney Street, York, with a new riverside development being approved by City of York Council in October. 

Traders in Coney Street have already spoken out to back the plans to transform the area by opening it up to the riverside.

But now The Press has spoken to shoppers out and about in Coney Street to see what they felt would be a welcome change to York’s broader city centre.

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Students Izzy and Lauren, both 19, have moved to York recently to study at York St John University.

They felt positive about the city centre, saying part of the draw to York for them was the historic and local businesses that line the streets.

Izzy said: “We love the Shambles, and I love the independent aspect that York does really well.”

Lauren continued: “I can’t really think of anything I’d change – I feel like there’s a really nice mix of everything already, a mix of high street shops and independents.”

Market Street, just off Coney Street. (Image: Alice Kavanagh) Another shopper, Sophie, 31, who lives in York, said: “I’d like to see women’s clothing stores - something that was a little bit different, more independent.

“There’s just a lot of high-street, chain stores, there’s hardly any independents for women’s clothes. We used to have Sarah Coggles and I think something like that would be great here.”

James and Tora from Nottingham (Image: Alice Kavanagh) “There’s 101 restaurants, so I don’t think we need any more restaurants, and yeah - definitely clothes shops and also more stuff for the kids. Something is missing for young kids in the city centre.”

Regular visitors to the city centre, James and Tora, had travelled through from Nottingham – saying that they visit York regularly as York has "what Nottingham doesn’t".

Tora said: “We love the architecture, history, and the little markets.”

Kole Bako, a digital artist who has lived in York for eight years, said that he could not think of anything that he’d like to change in the city centre.

Kole has lived in York for over 8 years and could not think of any changes (Image: Alice Kavanagh)Only two shoppers – both of whom didn't want to be named – shared negative views about the city centre.

One woman from York said she felt the city centre had ‘all gone downhill’ since she was young and that some of the areas, such as Market Street, were dirty and underused.

Mel and Sue, who were visiting their daughter in Tadcaster (Image: Alice Kavanagh) The second – a regular visitor with her husband - said that she felt the city centre was too noisy and that there were too many empty shops, but that there was not much that people could do as York was in the same position that many city centres were in.

Two regular visitors, Mel and Sue, who were staying with their daughter in Tadcaster also called for more shops.

Sue said: “There’s just not a lot of choice in town. We tend to go to the out of town retail parks – you can get everything you need at Clifton Moor or Monks Cross and they’re more accessible for us.”