Council chiefs have told museum staff of plans to close one of York's important tourist attractions in the latest move to save cash.

The York Story in Castlegate: the centre, which was intended to be an introduction to the history of York for visitors to the city when it opened in 1975, is set to close in May this year, after attendance figures showed a fall over the last few years

Workers at the York Story, in Castlegate, were told last night that a proposal will be made for the museum to close in May.

The plan follows a leisure services review which also threatens the Barbican and Yearsley swimming pools, libraries and other museums.

And it joins threats to other city services as City of York Council struggles to make up a budget deficit of £4.7 million. About four staff members employed at the museum would be deployed elsewhere in the city's leisure services.

The news has dismayed York tourist chiefs.

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of York Tourism Bureau, said visitor figures for York Story showed it was doing "very well".

She added: "One of the main selling points of York Story is that it's a super introduction if people don't know the history of the city."

Mrs Cruddas said the loss of an attraction also undermined efforts to encourage visitors to spend longer in York and use it as a touring base.

The number and variety of attractions the city had was vital to that message.

"If we lose one or two then it's bad news," she said.

The museum, which opened in 1975, follows the development of York's history through the ages.

The council's acting director of leisure services, Charlie Croft, said this afternoon: "The attraction is looking very dated now. I haven't got the visitor figures at the hand, but they have been falling for a number of years."

If members of the leisure services committee agree the proposal on Thursday the museum would close in May.

Mr Croft added: "I don't think it will be sold. The challenge will be to find a new and appropriate use for it.

"I can't be specific, but I would imagine it would be kept for a heritage use, although more modern and relevant than it is now."

Earlier this week, the Evening Press revealed that staff working at the city's three family centres, which work with the city's vulnerable children and families, had been told one centre could be closed as part of the effort to save £4.7 million.

Cooks at York old peoples' homes are facing the axe under a proposal to buy meals-on-wheels from York District Hospital for residents.

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