A SIZEABLE chunk of a York street has been put up for sale for more than £1.67 million.

Five premises in Gillygate, all with ground floor shops, have been put on the market by Ashtons estate agents of York.

Four of them are being sold on behalf of a property magnate, named only as TJ Rhodes, aged 72, who has retired to France and is realising his York property assets.

Priciest of them - at £475,000 - is a three-storey brick-built building backing on to the city walls, occupied by David Long Interior Design.

Rent from that, as well as a large, already-leased three-bedroom maisonette above, amounts to just under £20,000 per year.

Immediately next door is also for sale at £400,000, with Expecting, the maternity wear shop, on the ground floor, and a two-storey maisonette above, yielding a yearly £16,284 in rents.

Further up the road, towards Lord Mayor's Walk, the building housing Malaysian arts shop Rumahkie is up for sale at £225,000, which includes an occupied two-bedroom maisonette above. Income stream from both shop and home comes to £14,160 per year.

Next door a price tag of £225,000 has been put on the building housing Rigby's hairdressing salon, which has a first and second-floor two-bedroom maisonette above. Rents here amount to £13,505 per year.

Ashtons is also selling the only building in Gillygate with vacant possession, namely what used to be Lockwoods tobacconist until its owner retired. The price tag is £350,000.

Updated: 10:11 Tuesday, April 12, 2005