THE finances of one of the region's greatest seats of worship are on the up.

Last year, York Minster faced an operational budget deficit of £612,000 and the Dean and Chapter controversially decided to charge admission to try and reduce it.

Now, following the publication of the cathedral's accounts, the move appears to have worked.

The accounts show that the deficit has been reduced by almost two-thirds to £220,000.

With admission charges to increase in the New Year - by 50p to £5 for adults - the Dean and Chapter hopes to see a further improvement next year.

"The reduction of the deficit has been significantly aided by greater revenue from visitors through entrance charges, and from generous legacies left by members of the public," said the dean, the Very Reverend Keith Jones.

"We are delighted by the improvements made to reduce our deficit, and are most grateful for the generosity of those people who have left us legacies in their wills.

"We obviously still have a great deal of work to do, and we will continue to keep expenditure under control."

The news follows the recent announcement that the Minster had been voted Yorkshire's best-loved building by the public and that its library would remain open despite fears over funding.

The Dean and Chapter said that the charges have led to people getting more out of their visits.

"Visitors are spending more time in the Minster and are more likely to attend a service, go on a tour, or explore our exhibitions," said the dean