LAST week I won the easiest £10 I have ever made. I bet a colleague that I could walk from YO1 down Fossgate and Walmgate to my office at 127 Lawrence Street quicker than he could drive in his car.

I won my bet by five minutes thanks to the 'York City Fathers' and their farcical operation implemented at Walmgate Bar.

Is it their intention to encourage us all to come into the city on our bicycles? My colleague, a professional man, is now considering two options:

(a) To allow all his staff to leave at 4.30pm instead of 5pm in order that they arrive home at the same time before "Walmgate madness".

(b) Re-locate to Leeds - thereby leaving an empty office block and leaving York City Council worse off by £500,000 (£150,000 rates, £350,000 lost spend in the city forcing sandwich bars, pubs, etc to probably close).

MM Grainger,

Managing director,

Bobo Enterprises Ltd,

Lawrence Street, York.

Updated: 11:30 Friday, November 19, 2004