LET me please congratulate Royal Ascot At York and the city of York for a fantastic week. The organisation, facilitates and the racing were all top class.

I took my family to the rails enclosure on Tuesday and Friday and it was great.

The tickets were a total of £4 each but we were treated as if we had paid £400!

However, I was disappointed to keep hearing all the whining that the southerners were not coming, and a few speculators had lost money.

Well, how many northerners travel to Ascot?

The stories that all southerners are cash loaded and jet here and there is a myth.

The people of the north and the few from further a field and overseas who came to York were treated to great hospitality, exactly what we expected.

So next year York, concentrate on the grand welcome you gave to all and stop trying to coax the southerners up here.

Believe me, if the Royals come back next year, you will not have to coax anyone.

Gary Austen,

Ambrose Street,

Fulford,

York.

Updated: 11:16 Wednesday, June 22, 2005