They are as much a part of the York experience as the Minster or the city walls.
But York’s snickelways have not had a lot of TLC – until now.
York BID (Business Improvement District) has applied to add new lights to the famous alleyways to make them “safer and more attractive throughout the day and night”.
In submissions to City of York Council, the BID writes: “’Snickelways’ is a term coined by York Civic Trust to cover the city’s snickets, ginnels and alleyways.
“Following an environmental audit by North Yorkshire Police, York BID propose to improve lighting in the snickelways to make these pedestrian routes safer and more attractive throughout the day and night.
“As part of this (but not the subject of this application) it is intended to remove unnecessary trade waste, clean pavements, install cigarette bins and install artwork explaining the history of some of these spaces.”
Planning documents go on: “The proposal is to install LED festoon lighting as this would provide a continuous safe light source throughout the year.
“Lighting will be on day and night, to allow for darker days in the winter and will zig-zag across snickleways.
“Similar, temporary lighting has recently been used on Peter Lane as part of York BID’s Winter Lights programme.”
The snickelways set to be improved are:
- Popes Head Alley
- Le Kyrk Alley
- Nether Hornpot Lane
- Finkle Street
- Coffee Yard
- and Lunds Court.
Because the work would mean fixing the lighting brackets onto various parts of York’s historic streetscape, listed building consent is being sought for the work on:
- Barley Hall, 2 Coffee Yard
- Byron Hamburgers, 11 High Ousegate
- Lakeland, 9-10 High Ousegate
- Phranakhon, 19 Grape Lane
- Wildes Wine Bar And Bistro, 21 Grape Lane
- Wildwood, 87 Low Petergate
- York Fine Arts, 83 Low Petergate
- Browns Of York, 21 Davygate.
The BID has been in discussion with City of York Council conservation officers Guy Hanson and Emma Gibbens. As a result, “it has been has been agreed to omit lighting from more sensitive listed buildings”.
Property owners, residents, businesses, York Civic Trust and the council’s street lighting team have been consulted too.
You can find all the applications on the council’s planning portal here.
