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HUNDREDS of couples are flocking to York to tie the knot - despite the worst slump in marriage rates in the UK since records began.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics show a record low in marriage rates, with the numbers of people getting married at their lowest level since records began in 1862.

Weddings dropped four per cent to 236,980 across England and Wales in 2006 compared to the previous year.

This is the culmination of a steady drop in marriage rates in the recent decades, bar a brief rise in 2002 and 2004.

However, in York, marriage rates are still at a healthy level - and have even shown an increase in the past couple of years with numbers rising from 860 in 2006, to 914 in 2007.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "Figures for York show that people who live here or people coming into the city to get married have been increasing each year.

"We are one of the best cities in the country to get married in. We have wonderful facilities and one of the best registry office marriage rooms in the area.

"A few years ago we did a lot to promote York as a city of love' to show people that this is a romantic place - not only to get married in but also as a place to honeymoon.

"Figures prove that the falling rates of marriage are not a problem in York."

However, across the UK the statistics have raised concern over the slump in couples tying the knot, with experts placing the blame on government chiefs.

Jill Kirby, director of the Centre for Policy Studies, said: "It is perhaps not surprising in view of the lack of Government policy over the past 10 years encouraging marriage.

"The existing welfare system penalises against marriage and marriage is in danger of being lost as the core institution of society.

"A clear reason for concern in that research demonstrates how important marriage is to maintain stability for children.

"The break-up of cohabiting couples is much higher than married couples. Co-habitation is clearly not a satisfactory arrangement as far as your children are concerned."

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6:40pm Friday 28th March 2008

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