THE YORK BRIEF - Friday, January 17, 2026

Hello York!

Right then - grab yourself a brew, because we’ve got a proper packed Brief this morning. From by-election results to bridge closures, boxing prospects to pantomime documentaries, and a chance to quiz your local police. Here’s what’s happening in our city.

☁️ TODAY'S WEATHER (Friday, January 17)
Cloudy with showers throughout the day, highs of 7°C dropping to 4°C tonight. Keep that brolly handy! Met Office

📰 NEWS

🗳️ Labour holds Heworth in tight by-election race - Anna Perrett has won the Heworth ward by-election with 1,096 votes, keeping Labour in control of City of York Council by the narrowest of margins - just one seat. She beat Reform UK’s Mike Nuttall by 495 votes in a contest that saw a 31.6% turnout. | YorkMix

👮 Your chance to quiz York’s top police brass - Residents of York and North Yorkshire can put questions directly to senior police leaders at a live online meeting on Friday, January 23. The session, led by Deputy Mayor for Policing Jo Coles, will give you the chance to raise concerns and seek updates from North Yorkshire’s Chief Constable and senior leadership team. It’s your police force - now’s your chance to have your say.

🌉 Lendal Bridge closing for eight weeks in April - One of York’s busiest crossings will shut for eight weeks from April 2026 for £1.9m repairs to tackle corrosion issues. Pedestrians will still be able to cross, and cyclists are being accommodated. The bridge hasn’t had major work done in 20 years. Gazette & Herald

⚖️ Shocking obesity figures reveal 60% of York adults affected - New council data shows 60.1% of York adults are overweight or obese, with the report calling for a “compassionate approach” to tackle the issue.

Even more concerning - 23.2% of reception-age children are affected, rising to 34.7% by age 10-11. The Health & Wellbeing Board will discuss findings on January 21.

💷 Business rates chaos could hammer York services - Lib Dem Cllr Ashley Mason is warning that April’s business rates revaluation could wallop pharmacies, dental practices, libraries and leisure centres with hikes between 8-51%. He’s calling the government’s plans a “complete shambles” that’ll hurt essential services.

🚌 Number 15 bus gets Sunday trial - East Yorkshire Buses is launching a Sunday service on the Number 15 route between Bishopthorpe and Woodthorpe from January 25, running through Easter. It’s the first Sunday service since the pandemic, and if it goes well, it could become permanent.

🔥 Another shed destroyed by fire at York allotments - Fire crews from Huntington and Tadcaster were called to Scarcroft Road allotments around 7.10pm on Tuesday night (January 14) after reports of a shed well alight. The shed was destroyed by fire, with the cause still unknown. It’s the latest in a series of allotment fires across the city. Yahoo News UK |

🛍️ RETAIL

👞 Deichmann shutting Davygate shop - The German footwear chain is closing its Davygate store on March 28 after five-plus years in York. They’re looking for alternative York locations and avoiding redundancies by redeploying staff elsewhere. There’s a 25% off closing-down sale on now. YorkMix |

💼 BUSINESS

🏎️ KitKat creates F1 chocolate car at York centre - Nestlé’s York R&D Centre has created a Formula 1-shaped chocolate bar as part of KitKat’s new global partnership with Formula 1. Louise Barrett says the York centre is the “global hub for innovation” - the new bar’s got milk chocolate with creamy filling and crispy cereal, available in 29g singles and 5x11g multipacks. Gazette & Herald |

🍴 FOOD & DRINK

🌱 Tea By The Lock hosting vegan fair this weekend - Naburn tearoom is holding a vegan fair on January 17-18 (10am-4pm). Owner Ruth Richards doesn’t even advertise her place as plant-based because she wants to “normalise” it - her vegan egg mayo sandwiches (made with tofu and black salt) surprise customers. The tearoom’s in the Grade II-listed Naburn Banqueting House from 1823-24.

🎨 ARTS & CULTURE

🏺 York Ceramics Fair returning in March - The York Ceramics Fair is back at York Racecourse on March 7-8, 2026, with 72 exhibitors including 23 first-timers. It’s curated by the Craft Potters Association and will feature live demonstrations by Deiniol Williams, Jaroslav Hrustalenko and Michelle Young-Hares. Tickets from £7. YorkMix

🎨 York River Art Market saved for summer - The popular market will run for three weekends in August 2026 (1-2, 8-9, 15-16) after founder Charlotte Dawson sold it to Caroline Turner, a potter from Clay Space York. About 70 artists are already interested, and it’ll still be held on Dame Judi Dench Walk.

🎵 York Early Music Foundation appoints new chairman - Professor Phil Wood is the new chairman of York Early Music Foundation, which supports the National Centre for Early Music. He’s a former NHS chief executive at Leeds Teaching Hospitals. The York Early Music Festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026.

🎭 York influencer releases Berwick Kaler documentary - Henry Calvert, a York-based influencer with 550,000 followers, has released a 40-minute documentary celebrating the legendary Berwick Kaler pantomimes at York Theatre Royal. The film reunites the cast including Martin Barrass, Suzy Cooper, A.J. Powell and David Leonard for the first time since the panto ended two years ago. Calvert made it entirely independently with no funding as a personal passion project.

⚽ SPORT

🥊 York boxer Leo Atang eyes 2026 success - York’s exciting 18-year-old prospect Leo Atang (6’6”, 3-0 record) is fighting on January 31 at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on the undercard of Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Josh Kelly. His last fight in Ghana saw him TKO Ugandan Baba Yusuf in just 1 minute 25 seconds. He’ll be on the same card as fellow York boxer Brad Casey (also 3-0) from Legions Boxing Club. Coach Ash Martin says both boys are “nailing” their training camps.

🎉 WHAT’S ON

🎟️ York Residents Festival returns - January 31-February 1, 2026, with free entry to York Museums Trust sites and the National Trust’s Treasurer’s House. Pre-booking launched January 9 at visityork.org/resfest - you’ll need a York Card, student card, or ID proof. Plus 50% off tours, 25% off York Chocolate Story, and 20% off pottery painting. YorkMix |

🚶 York College students tackling 40-mile charity challenge - Two York College students studying Uniformed Protective Services are walking from Scarborough Railway Station to York Minster on Saturday, March 7. Billy Hamlyn (from Wetherby) is raising funds for the MND Association, while Josh Wilson (from Malton) is supporting Saint Catherine’s Hospice.

☕ Nether Poppleton care home hosting community coffee morning - Ebor Court Care Home in Nether Poppleton is holding a “Together at the Table” community coffee morning on Monday, January 19 at 10am. Home manager Yvonne Penrose says it’s all about creating togetherness and tackling social isolation. Tea, coffee, biscuits and friendly conversation - open to residents, relatives, neighbours and anyone from the wider community. Gazette & Herald

That's your lot for today. Have a cracking Friday, and don't forget your brolly! See you Tomorrow!