IN one sense York already is a city of festivals. Earlier this year, the Jorvik Festival attracted record crowds.

Last summer it was complemented for the first time by a Roman Festival.

Recent innovations York Music Live and the Festival Of Food And Drink have proved to be impressive and building successes.

Popular demand has seen the return of two events for their second year: York Comedy Festival and the Dragon Boat contest.

We can add to this list the events for more specialised audiences, from the Early Music Festival to the Beer Festival. And finally there are the one-off events, such as RailFest at the National Railway Museum from the end of May.

Despite so many celebrations, few people within York - and even fewer out of it - would recognise this as a city of festivals. All the events are organised by different people and marketed to different audiences.

That looks set to change. A new leisure body York@Large is planning to coordinate a major programme of events next year.

This in an excellent idea whose time has come. York, so long reliant on its beauty and history to draw visitors, must now work ever harder to hold its own against fierce competition from other tourist centres.

That is all the more true in the light of a recent survey which suggested the allure of the city centre's shops was waning.

The City Of Festivals is a unique and instantly recognisable brand that could bring business and leisure investment.

As the plans progress, we hope the organisers will consider the viability of a relaunched York Festival which was the driving force of arts for more than 20 years.

We could be on the brink of a cultural revolution.

Updated: 11:11 Wednesday, April 07, 2004