Tony Blair's message that Britain is open for business appears to have been heeded by the masses who visited North Yorkshire over the Easter weekend.

Many attractions and shops reported an upturn in business, compared with last year, heralding a good start to the summer season despite the foot and mouth crisis.

Kevin Barrand, resort and entertainments officer for Scarborough, Filey and Whitby, said all three resorts had been extremely busy, despite the poor weather.

At the York Dungeon, visitor numbers were up 33 per cent on last year with queues stretching round the corner to Plonkers wine bar.

Amanda Barton, operations manager, said: "We have had a few foreign groups cancelling because of foot and mouth but I don't think Tony Blair did us any harm when he came to York because we've been very busy."

Meanwhile in Ryedale, Eden Camp's visitor figures were up ten to 15 per cent on last year, providing a welcome boost to business after the barren patch at the beginning of the foot and mouth crisis.

Martin Watts, curator of the Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton-le-Hole, said: "We had lots of visitors and everyone enjoyed themselves. It's a very unpredictable scene, you can't second-guess it, we're just taking it a day at a time."

Barbara and Fred Brown, from St Louis, Missouri, who were waiting in the queue outside Jorvik during their one-day trip to York, said they had not been put off by reports of foot and mouth.

Barbara said: "I think the newspapers blow things out of proportion, although it's very serious and tragic, but there are still loads of things to do."

John Barken, commercial manager of Jorvik, said the queues were the longest he had ever seen.

He said: "We've had more than 2,500 admissions every day since we opened. We expect it to continue throughout the Easter holidays, which will lead us nicely into the summer season."

The York Castle Museum also reported doing well, as did York City Art Gallery and, on the retail side, business was also booming.

Mark Brayshaw, media consultant for the Monks Cross Shopping Park, in York, said: "All the indications are that the Easter Bank Holiday has been excellent for business. All 32 stores have reported increases on last year."

And Norma Middlemiss, manager of the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, near Naburn, said there had been around 40,000 visitors over the Easter weekend and business had been up 15 per cent overall compared to last year.

At the annual fair on St George's Field car park, business was steady.

Gary Miller, who runs the dodgems, trampolines and a number of other attractions, said: "There have been a lot of people down, but it's an average Easter."

The fair is in town until Saturday and is open between 1pm and 10pm.

Updated: 11:32 Tuesday, April 17, 2001