ON a glorious Christmas Day morning, and accompanied by visitors to York, I found to my great surprise that there was no access either to the city walls or the Museum Gardens.

There was no notice to indicate to council tax payers or tourists why the gates were locked - let alone any sort of apology for inconvenience or disappointment caused.

The same again happened on Boxing Day, when people expecting to use Rowntree Park and the car park had to turn back.

What can be the reasoning behind denying council tax payers access to their public facilities on Bank Holidays, when people wish to use them?

Has this anything to do with Scrooge?

Ruth Wordsworth,

South Parade, York.

Updated: 11:11 Friday, January 03, 2003