Get real

Andrew Lindsay, president of York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said the idea that York people were going to let their houses to visitors was "completely unrealistic".

To date, barely a handful of homeowners have managed to let their properties at top prices.

It also emerged that tourism chiefs are sending racing fans as far away as Leeds to find accommodation, because of the high rates being sought in York.

We found that:

City hotel rooms for Ascot week are still plentiful

Ascot-Lets.com, which urged York people to cash in on the five day festival of racing, has found a tenant for only ONE property

A top York estate agent has priced a two-bedroom terraced house in Tang Hall Lane at nearly £5,000 for a week's stay

York Tourism Bureau is finding people accommodation in Leeds, Harrogate and Pickering

With fewer than 200 days to go before Royal racing gets under way on Knavesmire, Mr Lindsay urged residents to get things into perspective and ensure greed did not ruin York's reputation as a value for money city.

Ascot-Lets.com contains 47 properties listed for rent at £10,000 or more for a week's stay.

But Mr Lindsay said: "This idea about people expecting to let their houses, I thought it was all, to be honest, a bit of nonsense.

"I have been on the website and looked at various properties and they all look ridiculously expensive.

"Frankly, I don't think any of this is going to happen - regardless of what amount a house is offered for.

"I also want hotels to be full, but I want people checking into these hotels to think they have got a good deal. We don't want outsiders to York to think they are paying over the odds."

Steve Free, web developer at Ascot-Lets, said it was time for people to think again about rent prices.

"It is a bit slow," he said.

"We do try and ask people to be realistic. Some prices are unrealistic, but we are encouraged that it will pick up. We are still optimistic."

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of York Tourism Bureau, said: "I am not totally surprised, because people will pay what they think is fair and reasonable.

"There was no indication from people in Berkshire of these kinds of prices or that there was more demand for them. Quite a few (York) hotels have still got vacancies and what is interesting is that we have booked quite a few people in Leeds, Harrogate and Pickering. In York, we are nowhere near saturation point."

Updated: 09:18 Saturday, November 27, 2004