TWO of York's biggest rock stars have raised doubts over the Barbican Centre's ability to continue hosting concerts following privatisation.

Rick Witter, lead singer with former chart-topping band Shed Seven, and Ian Donaghy, who fronts Huge, have both performed to sellout audiences in the 1,500-seat auditorium.

They say it is a great venue, which has attracted big names over the years, from Van Morrison and Tom Jones to Robbie Williams and Atomic Kitten.

"The Barbican has given me a lot of great memories," said Rick. "When we did our last-ever show there I didn't want to leave the stage."

But the singers fear City of York Council plans to redevelop the site and hand over the auditorium to private operators Absolute Leisure could jeopardise its success.

"Why change what is clearly working well?" said Rick.

Ian said he felt the proposed large bar lounge could cause problems for show promoters and necessitate an increase in security, affecting the centre's family-friendly feel, which had been felt when Huge performed there in November.

"Another worry is that once the council hands over control to a private company, what is in place to prevent large increases in hire charges for the venue, thus having a massive knock-on effect in increased ticket prices."

But Charlie Croft, City of York Council's assistant director lifelong learning and leisure, dismissed their concerns, saying the lounge bar would be family-friendly and a positive attribute for the auditorium.

He claimed it would not be in the operator's interests to impose big increases in the cost of hiring out the venue, as the whole objective in running it as a commercial venture would be to attract as many acts as possible.

Updated: 09:44 Saturday, February 28, 2004