YORK'S police chief has warned potential race day troublemakers that he will not allow the city to become a war zone.

Superintendent Jim Kilmartin told a meeting of 300 licensees and door staff that the violence of last year's Ebor meeting was not acceptable and he asked for their help to prevent a repeat performance.

Supt Kilmartin said: "I have had a meeting with all the hoteliers about how they are going to handle the Ebor meeting this year.

"Last year it was like Beirut in the city centre. There were people lying bleeding on the streets, and I am not having it again this year.

"There were then a lot of important people in the city who did not like what they saw and we are determined that it will not happen again even if it costs extra resources, and I will be looking for your help."

Until a few years ago pubs in the city centre were made to close on big race days, between 3pm and 7pm, and Mr Kilmartin said he may look at calling for re-introduction of this ban if there is a lot of trouble this year.

But Anita Adams, former chairwoman of the Licensed Victuallers' Association, said the trade worked well all year and the blame for much of the trouble had to be laid at the door of the racecourse.

She said: "We have worked very hard to get the drinking restrictions lifted. In this trade we work 365 days each year and we only have problems with these races. There are people being served who are drunk and they should be escorted from the city."

An action plan is being drawn up between police and hoteliers after last year's violence which saw police called to the Stakis Hotel, Tower Street, three times in one night to deal with large groups of fighting travellers. The same night 30 men were involved in a mass brawl outside the Novotel, Fishergate.

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