HUNDREDS of signatures have been collected by local councillors and shopkeepers for the Evening Press Save The York Odeon petition.

That takes the total raised past 5,000 - less than three weeks after the Evening Press launched the campaign.

The three Micklegate councillors, Dave Merrett, Sandy Fraser and David Evans, gathered signatures at a ward meeting and from friends, colleagues and fellow members of the Labour Party.

"People have been very supportive," said Coun Fraser, adding that people signing up to the cause included York police chief John Lacy and York Racecourse chief executive William Derby.

Coun Fraser said that if the Odeon in Blossom Street closed down, many people in the ward would be unable to get out to the city's last remaining commercial cinema at Clifton Moor.

"A lot of people do not have cars," he said.

He was particularly concerned about young people who would lose a facility which helped get them off the streets.

At the same time, people who did have cars and decided to drive to Clifton Moor would add to congestion on the city's roads.

The councillors were also concerned about the impact of closure on businesses in the Blossom Street and Micklegate area, where many were already struggling and were also facing the additional threat posed by council plans to charge for on-street parking.

They warned that the introduction of such charges, along with fees for evening parking at the Nunnery Lane car park, would also have an impact on business for the Odeon, whose competitor at Clifton Moor offered free parking.

Shoppers and drinkers calling at shops and pubs in Blossom Street and Micklegate have also been signing up to the petition.

Many scores of signatures were collected at the Mount Supershop alone, just up the hill from Blossom Street.

Many businesses have agreed to carry on collecting names for the campaign, which was launched last month following news that the owners are assessing the Odeon's economic viability.

Petition coupons are arriving in the post every day at the Press offices, sent back by readers from across the area. The petition calls for the cinema to remain open after a sensitive refurbishment.

Updated: 10:54 Friday, February 06, 2004