THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Friday, April 24, 2026

There's a particular kind of Friday that arrives wearing a grey expression - and this is one of them. The news that Nestlé plans to cut 450 UK jobs, with GMB warning York's Haxby Road factory will take the majority of the hit, will have landed heavily on Thursday afternoon; ninety years of KitKats, generations of York families, the Rowntree's legacy still in the brickwork, all now sitting behind the word "consultation." Elsewhere today: a woman has died following Wednesday's A166 Stamford Bridge crash, Rachael Maskell has publicly named Andy Burnham as her pick for the Labour leadership, and hundreds queued on Front Street, Acomb for fizz, freebies and Yorkie the Lion. Tomorrow brings a title decider at Rochdale and a high of 19°C. York will take both.

🏭 Industry & Employment

🏭 Nestlé to axe 450 UK jobs - York factory braced for the majority - Nestlé UK announced to staff on Thursday afternoon that it plans to cut more than 450 jobs across the country, as part of CEO Philipp Navratil's global restructure targeting 16,000 worldwide redundancies and CHF 3bn in savings by end-2027. Trade union GMB warned that the majority of UK cuts - among both staff and managers - would land at York and Gatwick. York's Haxby Road factory employs around 2,000 people and makes KitKat, Aero, Yorkie and Polo. KitKat has been manufactured in York for 90 years, carrying forward the Rowntree's legacy. Nestlé said the plans remain "subject to consultation" and exact York numbers have not been confirmed. GMB national secretary Charlotte Brumpton-Childs said the cuts "will rip the heart out of communities."

Both York MPs moved quickly. York Central's Rachael Maskell said York is "the leading site for Nestlé's confectionery operation in the UK" and pledged to press the company and unions to protect jobs. York Outer's Luke Charters wrote directly to Nestlé to "express my serious concern and to urge the company to do everything it can to protect jobs in York." The company recently invested around £8m in the York Distribution Centre on the same Haxby Road site. Gazette & Herald | YorkMix

⚽🏉 Sport

🏉 York Knights end five-game losing run with emphatic 38-14 Super League win over Toulouse - York Knights put a wretched run of form firmly behind them on Thursday evening, beating Toulouse Olympique 38-14 at the LNER Community Stadium in what was the first Super League meeting between the sides — and a satisfying reversal of last October's Championship Grand Final, which Toulouse won 10-8. It was York's third win of the Super League season and their first over Toulouse in any league fixture since 2013. Toulouse, who had begun the season with two wins, have now lost seven straight. The result lifts York off the foot of the table. York Press

🥍 York Croquet Club suffer defeat on return to league action - York Croquet Club opened their 2026 league season but came away on the wrong end of their first result, suffering defeat on their return to competitive action. The club, based at Scarcroft Green, competes in four north of England leagues and welcomed back fixtures this week after the winter break. - York Press

💀 Emergency & Incidents

💀 UPDATE: Woman, 84, dies following A166 wrong-lane crash east of York - A woman aged 84 has died as a result of the serious road collision on the A166 near Stamford Bridge reported here on Thursday. She was a passenger in a Ford Fiesta which, for reasons still under investigation, crossed into the opposing carriageway near the junction with Dolegate at around 2:30 pm on Wednesday 22 April, colliding head-on with a white Mercedes van. The Fiesta's driver - an 81-year-old man - was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Humberside Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage. Contact 101 and quote log 280 of 22 April. YorkMix | Gazette & Herald

🔥 Garden fire tears through Clifton dormer bungalow - three crews called - Three fire crews from Acomb, York and Huntington were called to a property in Clifton at 14:42 on Thursday after a fire that started in the garden spread into the roof space of a dormer bungalow and escalated out of control. By the time crews extinguished it, the roof had sustained 100% fire damage, the upstairs of the property 50%, and the remainder around 10%. Crews then dampened down and checked for hotspots. The incident was logged by North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue at Newlands Drive; York Press gives the location as Hudson Crescent, Clifton. YorkMix | York Press | North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue

🔴 Politics

🔴 "There's a question over Starmer's leadership - Andy Burnham's my choice," says York MP - York Central MP Rachael Maskell has publicly stated there is "a serious question" over Keir Starmer's position as Labour leader, and named Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as her preferred choice to succeed him. Maskell - who was suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party in July 2025 following the welfare reform rebellion and reinstated in November - has consistently backed Burnham, describing him previously as having "a creative style of leadership" and saying he would make an "outstanding leader." Her comments come as national pressure on Starmer intensifies ahead of the 7 May local elections and weeks after Labour lost the Gorton and Denton by-election to the Green Party - a seat Labour held with over half the vote at the last general election. YorkMix

🚜 York and North Yorkshire Mayor visits dairy farmers over falling milk prices and the future of farming - Mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith visited a dairy farm in Kilburn this week for talks with NFU Deputy President Paul Tompkins and North Riding farmers John and Sally Banks, whose 900-cow operation was the setting for the meeting. County Adviser Laurie Norris also attended. Falling milk prices were at the centre of the discussion, with the Banks family describing the economic pressures on the dairy sector and how knock-on effects ripple through the rural businesses that depend on a viable farming industry. The group also covered workforce challenges and attracting young people into agriculture - with two local agricultural colleges referenced - as well as energy security (including the farm's on-site solar array), food security, rural crime, fly-tipping, planning, and barriers to local food procurement in public tendering. Northern Farmer

🛍️ Retail & High Street

🛍️ Hundreds queue for Savers Acomb grand opening - fizz, freebies and Yorkie the Lion - Health and beauty retailer Savers opened its new, significantly larger store at Odsal House, Front Street, Acomb on Thursday morning, having moved from its smaller premises next door into the former Farmfoods unit. Hundreds turned out to queue. The first 500 customers to make a purchase received goody bags worth over £15; free fizz was poured for early arrivals; Britain's Got Talent star Finley Barrett-Carter performed outside the store; and York City FC mascot Yorkie the Lion attended. Savers managing director Doug Winchester said it was "really great to see such a massive queue" for the opening. YorkMix | York Press

🏦 Leeds Building Society renovating Acomb branch - Leeds Building Society is renovating its Front Street, Acomb branch as part of its ongoing commitment to maintaining a presence on the high street. York Press

🅿️ Planning & Development

🏨 Grand operator plans 5★ 'sister hotel' at historic Tanner Row building - Splendid Hotels Ltd - the company behind The Grand, Station Rise - has submitted plans to convert the Grade II listed building at 37 Tanner Row into a 5-star hotel with 12 bedrooms and 26 suites (ranging from one to three bedrooms), sharing services with The Grand next door. The four-storey building was constructed between 1852 and 1855 as The George Hotel -described in planning documents as a "red brick palazzo" - before being acquired by the North Eastern Railway for office use and used most recently by Historic England as offices. Historic England is now actively seeking smaller alternative premises nearby as staffing levels on the site have reduced through hybrid working. Planning documents describe the proposal as offering "a long-term use for the building and an opportunity to enhance and better reveal its significance." Insider Media

🅿️ Foss Bank Sainsbury's car park plans formally dropped - An application from Foss Argo Developments Ltd to reopen the former Sainsbury's car park at Foss Bank for public use - 270 spaces - has been dropped after City of York Council planning officers issued a "no further action" letter. The raised site sits between Foss Bank and Agar Street, adjacent to the operational Foss Bank Car Park already leased to the council. Separate plans for a 1,525-bed student accommodation block on the old Sainsbury's and Go Outdoors footprint remain live; demolition of those buildings is expected this year. The site sits above a medieval Jewish burial ground that was granted Scheduled Monument status in 2025. YorkMix | York Press

🅿️ Clifton residents say Dennings Mews parking ban proposals don't go far enough - City of York Council is proposing double yellow lines in Dennings Mews, off Wigginton Road in Clifton, following the construction of nine new homes in the area. The restrictions are intended to tackle obstructive commuter parking and ensure the new properties remain accessible. One objector, however, argues the proposals fall short - calling for a full loading ban as well, citing dangers posed to pedestrians and cyclists by vehicles manoeuvring in the confined space. The decision is expected from Cllr Kate Ravilious (Labour, transport) on Tuesday, 28 April. Examiner Live

🏕️ York Lakeside Lodges expansion approved despite neighbours' objections - City of York Council planning officers have approved the expansion of York Lakeside Lodges on Moor Lane, Dringhouses - adding seven new lodges and a pod to the existing 14 at the site, which centres on Hogg's Pond and offers hot tubs and fishing. Eleven objections were lodged by neighbours raising concerns about property values, increased pressure on the narrow Moor Lane roundabout, local electricity capacity, and late-night noise from music, parties and fireworks. Officers ruled residents' reasonable amenity would not be materially harmed. Quiet hours at the site run from 10pm to 8am. Gazette & Herald

⚠️ Crime

⚠️ Police appeal after racial hate crime at York Theatre Royal - North Yorkshire Police are investigating a racial hate crime at York Theatre Royal which took place between 5pm and 6pm on Tuesday 24 March. The incident involved racially discriminatory language directed at members of staff. Police have released a photograph of a man they wish to identify and speak to. If you can help, contact PC Oliver Axelson on 101 (option 2), email Oliver.Axelson@northyorkshire.police.uk, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Quote reference 12260053842. YorkMix

🎬 Arts & Culture

🎬 York schoolgirl stars alongside Jeremy Irons and Liv Tyler in dyslexia film - launches today - Hope Day, 13, a Year 8 pupil at The Mount School in Dalton Terrace, voices the lead character Lola in a new animated short film What is Dyslexia? - produced by charity Made By Dyslexia and launching today at whatisdyslexia.org. Actor Jeremy Irons voices a wise dyslexic inventor who takes Lola on a journey of self-discovery, showing her the achievements of dyslexic thinkers throughout history; Liv Tyler also features in the cast. Hope, who recently played Annie in York Light Opera's production of the musical, discovered her own dyslexia at the age of 7 and said she joined the campaign to help other children see "being dyslexic gives you brilliant strengths."

The campaign is designed to push positive, strengths-based information about dyslexia to the top of Google search results - aiming to reach the millions of children and parents who turn to the internet for answers each year. Made By Dyslexia's research found that three-quarters of respondents felt existing online descriptions of dyslexia overemphasise challenges, while 55% said terms such as "lifelong learning disorder" left children feeling hopeless. The film premieres at the BFI IMAX in London on Saturday 25 April. Gazette & Herald

✨🎬 Today, I’m incredibly proud to launch our new film, “What is dyslexia?” - alongside a campaign to hijack search for good and change the story for every dyslexic child, worldwide. Right now, when… | Kate Griggs

✨🎬 Today, I’m incredibly proud to launch our new film, “What is dyslexia?” - alongside a campaign to hijack search for good and change the story for every dyslexic child, worldwide. Right now, when children and parents search “What is dyslexia?” online, they’re told it’s a disability or a lifelong learning disorder. 9 in 10 say this makes them feel hopeless or scared about their future. These descriptions miss something vital - the extraordinary strengths of Dyslexic Thinking - now sought after in every workplace. So we’ve created a beautiful short animation to change that. Featuring Jeremy Irons, Liv Tyler, Jaalen Best, Lee Perry, and the brilliant young actor Hope Day - it’s designed so that millions of families each year will discover it at the top of their search results, and glimpse their bright futures. ❤️ As a dyslexic, a parent of dyslexic children, and a campaigner - this is deeply personal. It’s the film I wish I could have shown my sons. And the film I wish I’d seen as a young child. This is the ONE film every parent, teacher, and child should see. And we want to make that happen - but we need your help. 🙏 Visit whatisdyslexia.org and Watch, Like, Share & Review the film. The more engagement it gets, the higher it ranks - and the more dyslexic children and families we can reach. Help us hijack searches and change the story for every dyslexic child 🌎 I hope you love the film❤️🍿

LinkedInAmanda Berry CBE

🏫 Education

🏫 Hempland Primary praised by Ofsted as new school building takes shape - Hempland Primary School on Whitby Avenue, Stockton Lane has received a positive Ofsted inspection report, according to York Press. The school, part of the Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, is currently undergoing a full new-build under the Government's School Rebuilding Programme, with construction on the new two-storey building having commenced this April. York Press

🚗 Consumer & Motoring

🚗 Multiple changes confirmed for UK drivers in 2026 - what you need to know - The government has confirmed a series of changes affecting UK motorists this year. Digital driving licences are now in development via a forthcoming GOV.UK Wallet app, with full transition expected by 2027; physical photocards remain valid for now. New driving test booking rules are rolling in from spring 2026: from 12 May only the learner driver, not their instructor, can book or change their own test, with a maximum of two changes permitted, and from June tests can only be moved to nearby centres. The 5p-per-litre fuel duty cut introduced in 2022 will be phased out from September 2026, with full inflation-linked increases from April 2027. Electric vehicles are now subject to the standard Vehicle Excise Duty rate (£195 per year). From July 2026, the Motability scheme will see VAT added to advance payments and some higher-value vehicles removed. The government's updated Road Safety Strategy also signals proposals for stricter seatbelt rules (three penalty points), a lower drink-drive limit, and mandatory eyesight tests for drivers aged 70 and over. York Press

⚡ Transport & Infrastructure

⚡ North Yorkshire's £8m EV charger rollout "paused, not abandoned" - council pushes back on reports it was scrapped - North Yorkshire Council's programme to install hundreds of electric vehicle chargers across the county - backed by £8m in government funding - has been halted. Still, council chiefs are pushing back on claims in an EV industry publication that the scheme has been "abandoned." The council was due to appoint an operator last year to deliver a network of accessible and affordable chargers for residents and visitors across North Yorkshire, which includes York. Corporate director for environment Karl Battersby said the programme is "paused not abandoned" and that the council's aim remains "to deliver a high-quality charging network across North Yorkshire that is also good value for money and relevant." No revised timeline for an operator appointment has been given. YorkMix

🐾 York & Its Residents

🐾 York ranks second in the UK for pet-friendly living - and tops the country on vet provision - A new index of 50 UK towns and cities produced by Skipton Building Society has placed York second overall for pet-friendly credentials - ahead of Manchester, Cambridge, Bristol and Edinburgh, with Nottingham taking the top spot. The study assessed access to green space, the density of veterinary practices, and the availability of dog-friendly venues such as pubs and cafés, all adjusted for population size and weighted alongside local housing affordability data. Yorkshire Post

🤝 Community

🤝 York Cares urges businesses to sign up to Trailblazer volunteering programme - Employee volunteering charity York Cares is calling on York businesses to register for its Trailblazer programme, which connects company staff with local community volunteering opportunities across the city. Business Mondays

⚜️ Merchant Adventurers' Hall joins Good Business Charter - The Company of Merchant Adventurers of York - founded in 1357 and custodians of one of the world's finest surviving medieval guildhalls on Fossgate — has joined the Good Business Charter, committing to ten responsible business standards including fair pay, worker wellbeing, environmental responsibility and prompt payment practices. York Press

🌿 Wellbeing sessions returning to New Earswick nature reserve - A new programme of outdoor wellbeing sessions focused on mental health and wellbeing is returning to the New Earswick nature reserve for 2026, offering activities in the garden village's green spaces. York Press

🗞️ Council

🗞️ Our York magazine arriving on doorsteps this week - City of York Council's quarterly magazine Our York is being delivered to households across the city this week. You can download a copy of Our York and find links to services featured in the newsletter.. City of York Council

📅 What's On - Friday 24th April 2026

🎭 Around the World | Fri 24 – Sat 25 April | Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York - Book

🏛️ Portal to the Past: A Vintage Department Store | Fri 24 – Sun 26 April | York Racecourse - A three-day vintage shopping and lifestyle event across the racecourse's grand spaces. Details.

🎨 Crafty Tales Summer 2026 | Today (Fri 24 April) | York Theatre Royal - Creative crafts session for families as part of the summer programme. Tickets.

🎭 Youth Theatre Summer Term (8–11s) | Final day Saturday 25 April | York Theatre Royal - Last session of the spring/summer youth theatre term for 8-to-11-year-olds. Contact Box Office

🎵 Todd Day Wait | Tonight (Fri 24 April) | rise @ Bluebird, York — Live music. Details

🎭 York International Shakespeare Festival | Until Sun 3 May | Venues across York - Details