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.
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.