York’s city centre businesses are facing a challenging trading environment, with declining footfall, falling sales and growing competition from online retailers and out-of-town shopping destinations. Concerned by reports from traders that conditions on the high street were worsening, The Press launched a four-page special report investigating the health of York’s economy and the future of its city centre.

Drawing on exclusive data, interviews, analysis and community voices, the campaign examined the scale of the challenges facing local businesses and explored what needed to be done to secure a thriving future for York’s high streets.

The campaign began with an in-depth analysis of figures from York Business Improvement District, which revealed that city centre businesses had experienced an 8.2 per cent decline in sales in May. The report provided a detailed breakdown of the economic data and highlighted the pressures facing retailers, hospitality venues, and other traders.

Building on these findings, The Press spoke to business leaders across the city, many of whom raised concerns about the impact of parking charges on customer numbers and spending. Traders argued that rising costs and reduced accessibility were contributing to a decline in footfall at an already difficult time for the sector.

To ensure a balanced debate, the campaign also featured an interview with York Council’s deputy leader and executive member for the economy, Pete Kilbane. The interview allowed readers to hear the council’s response to the BID figures and its plans to support economic growth in the city centre.

The investigation then turned its attention to Coney Street, once York’s premier shopping destination but now home to a growing number of vacant units. The feature examined whether ongoing regeneration plans would be enough to revitalise the area and asked whether a fresh approach was needed to attract businesses and shoppers back into the city centre.

Finally, reporters attended a York BID meeting where business leaders and stakeholders discussed strategies to increase footfall and improve York’s retail offer. The resulting coverage highlighted proposed solutions and brought attention to efforts already under way to support local businesses and encourage residents and visitors back onto the high street.