Minster charge agreed to help raise £600,000

Despite attracting visitors from around the world, the Minster's voluntary donation system has failed to raise the necessary funds.

Now, in line with many other religious sites, including Westminster Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral, visitors will have to pay to step inside from the summer.

The Dean of York, the Very Reverend Raymond Furnell, said the Minster acted to overcome a £600,000 deficit that threatens its long-term upkeep and development.

Speaking yesterday from the US, where he is on a fundraising visit for the Minster, he said: "It is a very difficult decision, but we really have no alternative."

The Minster last year examined the possibility of charging, but Chapter Steward Peter Lyddon said they decided to adopt a voluntary donation system instead.

He said: "A donation system was introduced last May in an attempted to encourage visitors to make a realistic donation to prevent full charging."

However, the scheme failed to bring in the necessary income for the Minster's annual costs of more than £1.5m, with less than 25 per cent of visitors making a donation.

The new charges, which have not yet been set, will only affect visitors and tourists. Worshippers and pilgrims will continue to have free access for regular services, events and private prayers.

York's Tourism Bureau does not expect the entry fee to affect visitor numbers.

Chief executive Gillian Cruddas said: "We are extremely disappointed that the voluntary donation scheme has not increased income sufficiently. However, we understand and support the reasons for the introduction of charges.

"This is not necessarily a permanent measure, and we do not expect the charges to deter visitors from coming to York."

Once the prices have been finalised, parishes in the Diocese of York and local residents will be able to apply for an entry card, allowing them access.

Steve Hemming, visitor services manager, said that once charging is introduced, officials will be looking at ways of enhancing visits to the Minster.

£4-a-minute cost of cathedrals

THERE are 42 Church of England cathedrals in England, and about ten per cent levy charges on visitors, ranging from £6 to £4.

Officials at Durham Cathedral say they have no plans to charge admission.

The Vice Dean of Durham, the Reverend Canon Martin Kitchen, said: "We have every sympathy with the chapter of York in their decision to charge for entry.

"Here at Durham, it costs us £4 per minute to maintain our mission and our building.

"Admission here remains free, but we do make charges for some of our facilities."

Westminster Abbey charges £6 for visitors to see where all but two monarchs since William the Conqueror, in 1066, have been crowned.

Abbey spokesman John McAngus said: "The majority of visitors thought the fee was very reasonable and understandable. Because we have no state funding, we could not survive without the money from our visitors."

Lincoln Cathedral, which dates from 1092, began charging £4 a visit in April 2000.

It did so because voluntary donations were insufficient to fund its upkeep. Spokeswoman Helen Brown said: "The decision to charge was not an easy one. We have had some constructive criticism that has actually helped us to tweak the system so that it is now flexible and works very well."

Canterbury Cathedral also charges £4 entry. It was introduced in 1995 to fund repairs to the building. Spokesman Christopher Robinson said that at the time, visitors were donating an average of 13p each.

He said: "We only get the occasional complaint about the fact we charge because some people believe churches should be open free."

Ely Cathedral, in Cambridgeshire, first introduced a charge in 1986 when it was close to bankruptcy. A cathedral spokeswoman said the fee, £4.80 for adults, helped save the cathedral.

She said: "Of course there were, and still are, people who object to it, but we make sure they fully understand the reasons for levying a charge."