 Solution

Let ${\mathcal{I}}_Y$ be the coherent ideal sheaf of $Y$, and let ${\mathfrak{m}}_P$ be the ideal sheaf of a closed point. Because $P\notin Y$, the stalk $({\mathcal{I}}_Y{)}_P$ is ${\mathcal{O}}_{X,P}$. Evaluation at $P$ therefore gives a surjective morphism of sheaves ${\mathcal{I}}_Y\to k_P$ to the skyscraper sheaf at $P$. Its kernel $\mathcal{J}={\mathcal{I}}_Y\cap {\mathfrak{m}}_P$ is again a coherent ideal sheaf. Fromand $H^1(X,\mathcal{J})=0$, the long exact sequence in sheaf cohomology shows that $\Gamma (X,{\mathcal{I}}_Y)\to k$ is onto. Choose $f$ mapping to $1$. It vanishes on $Y$ and satisfies $f(P)=1$. Hence $X_f\subseteq U$, and inside the affine variety $U$ it is the principal open subset defined by $f{|}_U$. A principal open of an affine variety is affine. This gives affine principal neighbourhoods from ideal-sheaf vanishing.