COLD-CALLERS could be about to become a thing of the past for one York community after councillors backed plans to introduce a new crackdown on salesmen.

Residents in Mildred Grove, in the Holgate ward, made the call for their street to be given the same protection against unwanted doorstep visitors as other roads in the area and the level of support for the scheme is now set to be assessed.

Ward councillor Denise Bowgett said: “Holgate already has a number of these zones, with Howe Hill Close, St Swithin’s Walk, Burnsall Drive and others off Sowerby Road already benefiting from controls on this activity.

“A consultation with residents should now take place, after which cold-callers will be operating illegally if these residents come back in favour of such a scheme. As councillors, we support these schemes if residents give them their backing.”

Mildred Grove resident Jim Kerr said: “I, and a number of other residents in the area, feel salesmen door-knocking is not only inconvenient, but also an intrusion of our privacy.

“We also have senior residents in the area who may well feel vulnerable to such sales tactics, and there is also the point of whether a salesperson is genuine or not.”