Revellers outside York Minster on a previous New Year Picture: David Harrison
THE bells of York Minster will not chime in the New Year on December 31 in a bid to stop large crowds gathering to mark the start of 2021.
For the first time in as long as anyone can remember, the cathedral's bells will stay silent at the start of next year with the hope that Duncombe Place and the surrounding streets will not become a focal point for revellers, as is traditionally the case.
The announcement from the cathedral authorities reinforces City of York Council's strategy to prevent gatherings and maintain physical distancing in order to control the spread of the Covid-19 infection in the city of York and the wider region.