YORK city centre will lack two major festive treats this Christmas - a Santa's grotto and an ice skating rink.

But it should boast the best-ever St Nicholas Fayre, with extra stalls in the Coppergate Centre square for the first time.

A grotto was set up in St Sampson's Square in 2001 and 2002, proving a big hit with both local children and visitors.

But Father Christmas decided to fly elsewhere last year, because the square was needed for the hugely successful Fayre at the end of November.

The same clash of dates has prevented a return visit again this year. City centre events manager Paul Barrett says the grotto organiser was only prepared to come if he could have the square in late November, when fair stalls were again due to be put up there.

The National Railway Museum saved the day last year by organising a high-quality grotto, but a spokeswoman said it had decided not to hold one this year after it had mistakenly understood there would be a grotto in the city centre, and it did not want to compete.

However, Santa would be visiting the museum on November 27 and 28, during the Edwardian Christmas Festival.

The Santa problems echo the situation in 1997 when York's Victoria House department store, which traditionally featured the best grotto in the North, closed down.

On that occasion, the Evening Press and Theatre Royal swung into action to ensure children did not miss out, by organising a one-off grotto on the theatre patio.

Meanwhile, thousands of children and adults who enjoyed skating on an ice rink in the Eye of York last Christmas will not get a repeat opportunity this year.

City of York Council's events organiser, Liz Topi, said no one had offered to stage a rink this year, but she was hopeful one might be held again next year - although not necessarily in the Eye of York. The National Railway Museum said it was possible it would stage an ice rink next year.

Updated: 08:54 Tuesday, November 09, 2004