PC Alan Sunderland

York's licensing officer has hit out at the demise of the traditional pub in the city centre.

PC Alan Sunderland expressed concern as more and more continental caf-bars open, at the expense of the traditional hostelries.

"Why is it that we are trying to attract tourists with something they can get in their own countries?" he asked.

"Should we not be offering them the traditional English hostelry instead?

"Operators seem to think that the way forward is to change to one large room from the traditional series of snugs and smaller rooms for example the Cross Keys, Goodramgate, which did that in a major refurbishment last year." New licences granted in York in the last three years have seen the opening of the Slug & Lettuce, Pitcher & Piano, Kites Wine Bar and Victor J's among others - not what PC Sunderland would class as "traditional pubs".

However, the trend will be bucked in at least one case when the Last Drop Inn, a York brewery owned pub, opens in June on Colliergate.

PC Sunderland welcomed the granting of the licence which will see a brand new pub in a "traditional" style open right in the middle of the city, but would like to see more.

"No-one is coming to us with plans to build new ones, it is all caf-bars and that is a shame," he added.

"We don't want any more super pubs."

But John Shannon, Chairman of the York Civic Trust, does not fear for the pubs.

"The discerning foreign tourist will be looking for a traditional English establishment and visitors from other parts of the country will know the value of our traditional pubs," he said.

"English pubs, with their English pub grub and fine tradition are in no danger whatsoever."

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