Away from City Centre Bustle. Review on York

Just recently my wife and I were enjoying a trip around York when we came across the Monks Cross Shopping Park. (Noted in future in this review as MXSP).

Located on the A1036 to the north west of York city centre, MXSP is ideal for those people wishing to shop in a quieter area than the city itself. Both my wife and I like this way to shop.

MXSP is open 7 days per week. The opening times are as follows:

9.30 am until 8 pm on weekdays.

9 am until 7 pm on Saturdays (a recent happening).

11 am until 5 pm on Sundays.

There are over 1000 free car-parking spaces available within easy reach from the shops.

Directions to MXSP from different parts of Yorkshire are as follows:

By road:

1) From the east, which includes Malton and Scarborough, you drive along the A64 towards York to the first roundabout on the outer ring road. Turn right towards York and then left at the next roundabout. This road is the A1036. Drive to the next roundabout and turn right to MXSP.

2) From Bridlington follow the A166 to the outer ring road. Turn right until you come to the A64 roundabout. Bear left there and follow the outer ring road to the next roundabout and turn left onto the A1036. Then follow instructions as above.

3) From the north which includes Harrogate and the A1. You need to follow the A59 (signposted to York), to the first roundabout on the outer ring road. Turn left on to the A1237. Follow this road until you see the signs for MXSP.

4) From Leeds and the A1 south. Follow the A64 signed to York. Turn left at the sign for MXSP and follow the signs.

5) By bus: frequent buses run to and from MXSP to York. The information line for these services is 01904 551400.

If you have any problems on locating MXSP their e-mail address is info@monkscross.net

With York being a University City and a cyclists heaven, MXSP designers have had installed a cycle path around the park. This makes for easier access for all you students out there.

Now to the nitty gritty ? The shops and restaurants

Most of the shops and restaurants are in a flat ?U? shape around the large car park.

These shops include: PC World, Textile World, Clarks, New Look, BHS Homestore (which includes some ladies fashions). Other stores are Dixons, JJB Sports, Evans, Boots, Woolworths, Topshop/Topman, Sports Soccer, HMV, Going Places, Asda, Carphone Warehouse and many more. The Outfit Store not mentioned above features Dorothy Perkins, Warehouse, Principles, Tammy, Burtons, Adams, and Wallis.

I particularly like the layout of this park for shopping, as there are no main roads to cross and all the shops are entered from an undercover walkway. One of my favourite stores to visit is BHS. This store has lots of different ideas for the home and is easy to walk round.

Restaurants and eating places, I think, are fairly limited. These are Pizza Hut, McDonalds, BB Muffins, and Burger King.

Within the park is an Information Centre, which includes restrooms for all persons

As this is a newish park, there are one or two areas still under wraps. On the leaflet I picked up from the Information Centre, there is a proposed Science Park and proposed Park and Ride. The latter, I think, will be of great help for the residents of York and the surrounding areas.

All in all, this park is clean, the shops are very accessible and the car park very convenient to the shops.

Well done to the designers, and I will spend many an hour strolling around MXSP.