ONE of York's favourite street entertainers is set to quit the city after being told to leave his chosen pitch.

Mark Wallis, more commonly known as Mr Yellow, is in demand with the York Tourism Bureau, which has booked him for the launch of its new logo next week.

But he is less popular with City of York Council enforcement officers and the police, who have warned him not to perform in Low Petergate because the huge crowd he attracts obstructs the highway and blocks the doorways of a nearby shop.

Michael Petty, owner of designer clothes store Statement, said his takings were down by £3,000 last week because Mr Yellow performed outside his shop.

He called out council enforcement officers four days in a row to move the performer on.

Under a bylaw street performers in York are obliged to go as soon as there is a complaint.

Mr Petty said the crowd was so angry about the performer being forced to stop that some onlookers were even abusive to his staff.

On the last occasion enforcement officers and police attended and warned the entertainer to stay away from Low Petergate and Stonegate.

But Mr Yellow says there is no other spot that is so successful, both financially and artistically, for his act - and he is set to leave York for good.

He said: "People say why don't you move somewhere else, but I've tried it.

"There is no better spot in York for my performance, but I keep getting told to move on.

"From day one he (Mr Petty) has been against me, but the manager of Caf Rouge said his takings are up whenever I'm there.

"York is a good city and that's a good spot, but I don't want to waste my energy trying to fight him. It's a case of moving on."

Mr Petty said: "Every day that he was there last week, because there was no footfall because the door was blocked, my takings were down.

"On the day that he wasn't there the takings were up."

"Street entertainers should be welcome in York, some of them are very talented people, but I think they need to respect the businesses here.

"York has not had the easiest time, and when I'm paying £1,000 a week in rent and £200 a week in rates, I can't just watch my doors being blocked."

John Wood, city centre services officer for City of York Council, said he asked Mr Yellow to come and see him and find an alternative pitch but he has not yet done so.

He said: "If anybody complains about a performer we are bound to ask them to move on.

"Mr Yellow says he will not make as much money anywhere else, but if they all said that there would be anarchy."

Sally Kerr, chairman of the retail committee for York Chamber of Trade and Commerce, urged retailers and buskers to work together to enhance the city.

She said: "When buskers are directly outside premises and they are there regularly, stopping the traffic flow and people can't get in and out of the shops, then is does cause a problem.

"But on the flip side of that, generally speaking the buskers and performers are excellent, they add value and atmosphere to York and people think they are great."

She added: "I think we can work together. York has got such diversity and that's what we want to encourage."

Updated: 08:26 Tuesday, August 28, 2001