THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Monday, April 20, 2026

Good morning, York. The city came within seconds of its greatest football moment in a decade - only for Rochdale to steal it in the 99th minute, 160 miles away in Essex, shattering three of the most extraordinary minutes in York City's modern history. City won 3–0, and players stood on the pitch thinking it was done. It wasn't. Saturday at Rochdale is now everything. Meanwhile, a row has broken out between a former council leader and York's MP over road improvement letters, the Bishy Road Bazaar opened to scenes of genuine community joy, and the Nazis, it turns out, were keeping a close eye on Betty's.

⚽ SPORT

🏆 THE TITLE SNATCHED IN THE 99TH MINUTE - York City vs Rochdale, Saturday 25 April, winner takes all - York City put in a commanding performance to beat Yeovil Town 3–0 at a sold-out LNER Community Stadium on Saturday evening. Ollie Pearce nodded home on 23 minutes from a Josh King cross. Josh Stones added a composed second on 43. Substitute Joe Grey sealed it with a low strike from distance in stoppage time. City were dominant, the crowd were magnificent, and with Braintree holding Rochdale to 1–1, for three extraordinary minutes, with York's game already done, players and staff milled on the pitch knowing the title appeared to be theirs. Then the anguish: Mani Dieseruvwe scored for Rochdale in the 99th minute at Braintree, making it 2–1, ripping the trophy away with the last kick of the game. York remain top on 110 points. Rochdale are two behind on 108. The final day is Saturday 25 April: York travel to Rochdale's Crown Oil Arena. York needs only a draw. Rochdale must win. YorkMix | Non-League Football Paper

✅ Fan banning orders lifted ahead of Yeovil - young supporters reinstated under Operation Hat Trick - The banning orders imposed on young York City fans following the Altrincham goal celebrations on 6 April were lifted in time for Saturday's match. North Yorkshire Police worked directly with the fans under Operation Hat Trick, a designated football behaviour programme, downgrading the sanctions to official warnings. The majority of under-18 sanctions were removed, and those fans were able to join the sell-out crowd at the LNER. YorkMix

🏉 York Knights 6–18 Leigh Leopards - fifth consecutive Super League defeat - York Knights lost 6–18 to Leigh Leopards at the LNER Community Stadium on Friday night in what was a tight, physical affair that Leigh edged through clinical second-half finishing. Gareth O'Brien opened the scoring for Leigh, before Xavier Va'a crashed in to level at 6–6. A sin-binning of Va'a, for a shoulder charge with 29 minutes on the clock, allowed Adam Cook to nudge Leigh ahead to 8–6 at half time. The second half saw both sides create chances, but York couldn't convert. Josh Charnley crossed in the 57th minute following a sublime passage of Leigh play, and Jacob Alick-Wiencke added a third off Cook's pass on 67 minutes to seal it. A frustrated Mark Applegarth acknowledged his side wasted too many opportunities. The Knights remain on just two Super League wins this season — their fifth straight league defeat. York Press | York RLFC

🏛️ CITY & POLITICS

🔥 Ex-council leader accuses York Outer MP Luke Charters of being "profoundly dishonest and deceptive" over road improvement letters - Chris Steward, leader of the Conservative Group on City of York Council and a former council leader, has publicly accused York Outer MP Luke Charters of claiming undue credit for road improvements in Copmanthorpe and Huntington. Steward, who represents Copmanthorpe ward, says Charters sent letters to constituents suggesting his lobbying had secured resurfacing work on Moor Lane - work that Steward argues is entirely the result of a legally binding Section 106 agreement with Barratt Homes, signed when the Moor Lane development received planning permission. YorkMix

🚽 North Yorkshire toilet charges - executive votes TOMORROW, Tuesday 21 April - North Yorkshire Council's executive meets tomorrow (Tuesday 21 April) to vote on proposed charges for public toilets and household waste recycling centres. The proposals would introduce a 40p–50p charge to use the county's 93 publicly maintained toilets, the UK's largest council-run network, alongside charges for HWRCs. The vote has attracted sustained opposition from campaign groups and from councillors across party lines who argue the charges will deter use and disproportionately affect older and disabled residents. York residents who use these facilities when visiting the Moors, Dales and North Yorkshire market towns are directly affected by the outcome. Decision expected tomorrow. York Press

♿ "Half the times I've parked in a disabled space, people are staring at me" - York man with MS speaks out - Ian Johnson, a 54-year-old software engineer from York diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2013, has spoken out about the stigma of parking in disabled spaces as someone with a largely hidden disability. Ian uses a rollator walking aid or a wheelchair, but says that until he produces these from his car boot, strangers frequently stare and make him feel judged. "Half the times I've ever parked in a disabled space people are staring at me and I can feel the judgement," he told the York Press. "Then when I get the rollator out of the boot, people realise I must have a disability." He has also been challenged for using a disabled toilet. Ian, who can experience fatigue and balance problems alongside his mobility difficulties, also highlighted York's streets as a physical challenge: "Medieval cities like York were never designed for disabled people. Narrow cobbled streets might seem 'quaint' to most people, but are a nightmare for anyone using a rollator or wheelchair." He is calling for greater public awareness of MS as a condition that is frequently invisible from the outside. Gazette & Herald.

♿ Disability benefits cuts begin as minister signals more to come - New DWP welfare reforms came into force this April, with the health element of Universal Credit for new claimants halved from approximately £97 per week to around £50 — a cut of roughly £2,600 a year for those affected. The government says the changes will encourage more disabled people into work and align with its Pathways to Work agenda. But disability charities, including Scope have warned the cuts will "only make it harder for disabled people to enter the workforce." Minister for Social Security Sir Stephen Timms defended the changes, saying the old system had "locked disabled people out of work." Further changes to PIP eligibility are expected from November 2026. York Central MP Rachael Maskell has previously voted against welfare reform measures in Parliament. York Press

💼 BUSINESS & RETAIL

🍗 Popeyes applies to open first York restaurant - combining two empty city centre units on Church Street and Swinegate - US fried chicken chain Popeyes has applied for planning permission to open its first York restaurant, combining the former Cello by Collectables gift shop at Church Street with the empty William Hill unit in Swinegate into a single large premises. The application, lodged with the City of York Council, states the restaurant would open 6am to midnight daily, create new jobs, and return two vacant properties to active use. Group area manager Lynn Dickinson said: "Our landlord has applied to change the use of the premises into a restaurant. We have looked for an alternative site in York but finding one proved difficult due to time constraints." Signage plans include five branded signs, which the application says would not harm views within the historic Conservation Area. The former Cello gift shop closed in February. The Tab | York Press

💊 York firm NEUVIOR wins Innovate UK grant to turn pharmaceutical waste into bio-based packaging - York-based NEUVIOR Pharmaceuticals Ltd has been awarded a feasibility grant from Innovate UK under the Resource Efficiency for Resilience and Sustainability competition. The company's ZYLON programme is exploring how pharmaceutical manufacturing processes can recover waste material and develop smarter bio-based packaging that could replace harder-to-recycle formats, making pharmaceutical production more circular and lower carbon. Feasibility trials are currently being conducted at the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) in York. The award is separate to a previous Innovate UK grant NEUVIOR has received. Yorkshire Post | Insider Media

#nhs #medicines #digitalhealth #pharmoris | Varun Cruz

GREAT news! PHARMORIS has just passed assessment through the NHS Innovation Service. This is where they test: - is this something the NHS would realistically use? - is it credible enough to progress toward real-world deployment? The outcome for us is that we are now being connected into the Health Innovation Network layer to explore pilot alignment. No hype.. its not adoption yet.. but it is a clear signal that the problem we have been working on is being taken seriously. Across multiple NHS systems, the pattern is consistent: - signal exists - priorities are identified - evidence is built - but execution slows, fragments, or never closes That gap, between insight and action is where most value is lost. PHARMORIS is being built to sit in that layer: turning identified opportunities into governed actions that can be approved, routed, executed and tracked to outcome. Now the focus shifts from: ‘is this interesting?’ to: ‘can this work in practice?’ If you’re working in medicines optimisation, pharmacy, finance, or NHS digital, reach out. Would be great to chat further on the leaks in your system. #NHS #Medicines #DigitalHealth #PHARMORIS

LinkedInVarun Cruz

🛡️ Real Cyber Awards and Conference coming to York's Milner Hotel, 30 October - York's Milner Hotel has been confirmed as the host venue for the Real Cyber Awards and Conference 2026, taking place on 30 October. The event, organised by York-based company Consultants Like Us, will feature a full day of cybersecurity conference sessions followed by an awards dinner celebrating professionals who protect businesses and individuals from digital threats. Co-founder Gary Hibbard said York was chosen for its historic connection to castles and fortresses, fitting symbolism for an industry built on protection and defence. "Not a day goes by now that we're not seeing some large organisation suffering a data breach or a cyber attack," he told YorkMix Radio. Categories are open for entries with finalists announced in June. York Press | Real Cyber Awards

💰 York and North Yorkshire high streets share £2.4m in Mayor's final funding round - including York BID and Fulford Road - Mayor David Skaith has announced the third and final phase of his Vibrant and Sustainable High Street Fund, with £2,387,514 distributed across 26 projects in York and North Yorkshire. York BID secured £96,901 to create a new Tempest Play Area for children in the city centre. The Fulford High Street Art Journey project received funding to transform Fulford Road into a more connected and visually engaging destination. Door 84 received £54,015 for The Groves Community Improvement Drive. The University of York received £87,725 for Heritage Connections, a programme of heritage exhibitions and tourism across the region. The Bishy Road Bazaar was also funded via the same programme. Since the fund launched in 2024, 65 projects across York and North Yorkshire have now received backing. Darlington & Stockton Times

⚡ Gas works in Poppleton putting grass verges and tree roots at risk - councillors demand answers from Northern Gas Networks - Liberal Democrat councillors have raised urgent concerns after residents in Poppleton reported that Northern Gas Networks excavations in Springfield Road and Riverside Gardens are being backfilled with tarmac and crushed hardcore rather than original soil, preventing grass regrowth and threatening the root systems of mature nearby trees. Northern Gas Networks operations manager Mr Mawhood said works were carried out in line with industry standards and offered two-year guarantees, adding the company was happy to revisit any site causing concern. The council has engaged with NGN management to ensure stone is not used as backfill near trees going forward. YorkMix | Yahoo News UK

🎨 ARTS, HERITAGE & COMMUNITY

☕ Betty's found on a 1940s Nazi map of York - but historians suspect it's the neighbours, not the tea cakes - A British Ordnance Survey street map of York annotated by Nazi intelligence in the 1940s has resurfaced online, marking the city alongside other cultural and strategic targets across Britain. York Minster, the York Library and the Yorkshire Museum are all marked with red stars identifying them as "Kunstsammlung" (art collection) or "Kulturdenkmal" (cultural monument). Intriguingly, a further star appears near Betty's on St Helen's Square. Historians believe this is almost certainly due to Betty's distinguished civic neighbours - the Mansion House sits directly adjacent - rather than any Nazi interest in Yorkshire cream teas. John Shaw, Chairman of the Yorkshire Architectural and York Archaeological Society, said the pattern of marking was entirely consistent with cultural and civic significance. The map adds an unexpected and rather charming footnote to York's extraordinary wartime story. Gazette & Herald

⛪ Citadel church on Gillygate completes £300,000 transformation - hub for Ukrainians, refugees and the wider York community - The Citadel on Gillygate - built by William Booth in 1883 and home to York City Church since 2015 - has completed a major £300,000 refurbishment of its 500-seat Booth Hall meeting space and café, with further improvements planned for the upper floors. The building has become a vital gathering point for York's Ukrainian refugee community. Olesia Tymokhina, a psychologist who came to York from Kharkiv following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, leads a Sunflowers women's group of 76 members that meets there weekly. Mayor David Skaith contributed £35,000 from his Community Buildings Programme. York Central MP Rachael Maskell said it was "a real place for hope, reaching out to all people with their hall, café and heartful welcome." York Press | Yorkshire Post

🧙 Shambles traders divided over Harry Potter identity - "one of the most amazing streets in the world" vs "it's all Harry Potter now" - Traders on York's Shambles have given a wide range of views after some York residents described the medieval street as a "Disneyfied Harry Potter theme park." Kelly Blair of the Kings Inn was unequivocal: "Having travelled all over the world, it's one of the most amazing streets." Staff at Paul Dawson Coins said trading was "lovely" and agreed the themed shops were drawing visitors in, but added: "There's more of an issue with parking causing lack of footfall." One anonymous trader was less enthusiastic: "York used to be about its buildings and history, but nowadays it was all Harry Potter." The Cheesecake Guy said the wizarding trade was "not really for us - it's just for kids." Sean at the Hedben Tea Shop said: "It's bad for business because they - visitors, are just blinded by this look." Gazette & Herald

🎨 South Bank Studios opens York Open Studios weekend at Southlands Methodist Church to 800 visitors - South Bank Studios, the community of 18 makers and creators based on the upper floor of Southlands Methodist Church at 97 Bishopthorpe Road, welcomed 800 visitors on the first day of York Open Studios weekend, with hundreds more on the second. Visitors could view and buy paintings, prints, textiles and metalwork, and take refreshments at the church's café. The arrangement has transformed what a struggling building was, the church had been finding it hard to cover maintenance costs, into a seven-day-a-week community hub. York Press

🎓 University of York and York SU win national sustainability accreditation - The University of York and York Students' Union have been awarded the Responsible Futures accreditation from Students Organising for Sustainability UK, recognising how the university has embedded sustainability into its teaching, campus life and broader student experience. Nine student auditors carried out a thorough audit of the university in December 2025, reviewing evidence and interviewing staff across departments. Recommendations include expanding sustainability content across more degree programmes and improving how progress is communicated to the wider student body. The Tab

🏗️ DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION

🏫 Carr Junior School in Acomb named national Centre of Excellence for inclusion - Carr Junior School on Ostman Road in Acomb has been awarded the Inclusion Quality Mark and recognised as a national Centre of Excellence for inclusion - only the seventh school in its Excel Learning Trust to reach this status. An IQM assessor spent a full day meeting leaders, staff, pupils, parents and governors, observing lessons and scrutinising evidence across eight elements of inclusive practice. Assessor Nichola Russell described the school as "a home from home for its whole community" and said "positivity radiates throughout." Executive principal James McGann said: "Carr has been on an incredible journey of improvement, and this award is a powerful acknowledgement of just how far the school has travelled." York Press

🧒 St Paul's Nursery School returns home to Holgate after 18 months in temporary accommodation - St Paul's Nursery School - York's only maintained nursery, founded in 1936 and gifted to the local authority by the Rowntree family - has returned to its home in Holgate following a major building programme. The school had been temporarily housed at Clifton Children's Centre since October 2024 while a new building was constructed on the original St Paul's Square site. Head Claire Rigden said: "We're so excited to be building this new chapter for St Paul's. Our nursery has been nurturing little learners for decades, so it feels really special to reconnect with the people who started their journey here." The school is also searching for its earliest former pupils, hoping to hear from anyone who attended as far back as the 1930s or 1940s. Yahoo News UK | stpaulsnurseryschool.co.uk

🏫 Hempland Primary School rebuild begins next Monday, 27 April - Work on the long-awaited rebuild of Hempland Primary School in York is due to begin on Monday 27 April. The project will replace the existing ageing building with a modern, purpose-built facility on the same site. The start of construction marks a milestone for the school community, which has been anticipating the rebuild for some time. York Press

🌿 COMMUNITY & SAFETY

🛍️ Bishy Road Bazaar - a triumph on day one: 100+ visitors in the first 15 minutes - Yesterday's inaugural Bishy Road Bazaar at the Bishopthorpe Road car park exceeded all expectations. Organisers had hoped for between 300 and 400 visitors across the four hours; within 15 minutes of opening, more than 100 people had already arrived, and the final total was well above target. Over 30 York traders manned stalls selling ceramics, paintings, cakes, textiles and jewellery. T Next dates: Sunday 24 May, Sunday 19 July, Sunday 23 August (all 11am–3pm). Only York artists are eligible to have stalls. York Press

🦢 Swans at Rowntree Park lake disturbed by fishing - Friends of the Park appeal to community - Residents are being asked to politely remind anyone they see fishing at Rowntree Park lake to stop, following numerous reports of youths fishing near a swan's nest, an activity that is not permitted in the park. The Friends of Rowntree Park say the risk is threefold: fishing hooks can injure nesting swans and ducks; the fish spawning season is currently underway; and discarded fishing lines can cause lasting harm to frogs, tadpoles and other wildlife. Stencilled signs have been added along the park paths but are being ignored. The friends group says they are relying on the community to gently intervene. The nearest swan rescue charity is in Selby. YorkMix

🐕 Boy, four, hurt by dog on New Lane, Huntington - police seeking owner - North Yorkshire Police are appealing for information about the owner of a brown cocker spaniel-type dog following an incident on New Lane, Huntington, near the local cemetery at around 11.50am on Friday 10 April. A four-year-old boy was involved in the incident. Police confirmed the boy suffered no lasting injuries and did not require hospital treatment. Officers are seeking to trace the dog's owner, described as a man in his 20s wearing dark clothes and a black cap. Anyone with information should contact PC Rebecca James on 101, select option 2, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Gazette & Herald.

🔥 Two fires started deliberately in York on Saturday evening = Two deliberately set fires were reported in York on Saturday night. At 8.55pm, firefighters attended a fire in Quaker Wood, Acomb, extinguishing it with a knapsack sprayer before reporting the cause to police as deliberate. Then at 9.23pm, a crew attended a fire in scrubland at Millennium Green — also extinguished and reported to police as deliberate. An earlier bin fire at Clifton Backies at 8.37pm was also attended by crews that evening. All three incidents are now with North Yorkshire Police. YorkMix

💰 CONSUMER & NATIONAL

🚗 Martin Lewis warning: car insurance prices are about to rise again - act now - Consumer expert Martin Lewis, speaking at the Ideal Home Show in London, warned York drivers and motorists nationwide that car insurance premiums, which have fallen around 20–25% over the past two years, are likely to start rising again. He linked the reversal to wider global pressures, saying: "Because of what's going on in the Middle East, knock-on inflation, costs feed into everything." His advice: do not accept a renewal quote without shopping around first, and be aware that pricing rules protecting existing customers do not apply if your original policy was bought through a different comparison site. With prices potentially at their lowest point, now is the time to compare before renewing. York Press

⚠️ PayPal 1p scam alert - millions of UK users targeted, including York residents - Millions of UK PayPal users are being warned about a sophisticated new scam flagged by consumer group Which? Fraudsters use a hacked or fake business account to deposit 1p into your PayPal account — which triggers a genuine email from PayPal's official address confirming the deposit. The email includes a note suggesting more money is coming and asks you to call a number to "secure your account." That number connects you to the scammer, who then attempts to extract personal and financial details. PayPal has confirmed it is aware of the tactic and stresses it will never include phone numbers in payment messages or demand urgent action. If you receive such an email: do not call any number in it. Log in directly through the official PayPal app or website, and forward suspicious emails to phishing@paypal.com. | Which?

🌾 Upland farmers call on Defra to formally recognise their vital role - Upland farmers across northern England - including those working the hills and dales that surround York - have issued a call to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to formally recognise the essential environmental and economic work they carry out. The call covers moorland management, natural flood prevention, biodiversity stewardship and the maintenance of the landscapes that define the North. It reflects ongoing tension between farming communities and government subsidy policy following the post-Brexit transition away from EU Common Agricultural Policy payments. Many upland farms around York operate on thin margins and have seen support eroded in recent years. Yorkshire Post