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June 16, 2005
Day Three - ii
Attendance today is much higher, perhaps 55-56 000 people, although the Rails Enclosure looks quite comfortably uncrowded unless you want to be right by the rails. There was also a big crowd outside the Palace for the start of the Royal procession, on both sides of the road; half the village must have been there! We'll have some pictures soon.
However despite the Lady's Day crowds, the village and York itself are still very quiet, and trade is well down. Many shopkeepers, restaurant owners and publicans have geared up for this week, with extra stock and/or extra staff and they are not at all happy.
It seems both that two things have happened: the traffic management plan has been extremely successful in sealing Ascot traffic off from the surrounding city and villages. Vehicles coming down Bishy Road in the evenings are forced right into Church Lane, and when they reach Sim Balk Lane, a copper signals them to turn right. Unfortunately that makes people think they cannot get into Bishopthorpe, where good food and refreshment awaits. Meanwhile other people who might ordinarily have come here think it is not even worth trying.
Posted by Andrew at June 16, 2005 04:21 PM