THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Thursday, 19 March 2026

Good morning, York! 🏰 Lendal Bridge is about to get complicated, £145,000 is heading into the city's community groups, and tonight the Knights face their biggest test yet. Let's get into it.

📰 NEWS

🌉 Lendal Bridge Closes Three Nights Next Week — Plan Your Journeys Now — Drivers and bus users need to plan ahead: Lendal Bridge will be closed to all vehicles from 8pm to 5am on Monday 23, Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 March while overnight resurfacing works take place on Museum Street. Pedestrians and mobility aid users can still use the pavements. The recommended vehicle diversion loops via Holgate Road, Water End and Clifton. Roads should reopen by 5am each morning if works go to plan. This is separate from — but a precursor to — the major two-month Lendal Bridge closure coming in April, when the Grade II listed bridge undergoes a £1.9 million structural restoration. (Sources: YorkMix | City of York Council)

💰 48 York Community Groups Share £145,000 Funding Boost — Forty-eight community organisations across York have received more than £145,000 in the latest round of grants from the York Community Fund, distributed by Two Ridings Community Foundation. Recipients include The Island, which is training new youth mentoring volunteers; Kyra Women's Project, running creative writing courses for neurodivergent women; Musical Connections, which received funding to provide free transport for vulnerable older people to attend music sessions; and Lollipop, a charity providing social activities for deaf children and families. Funding decisions were made through a participatory process involving twelve local people with lived experience of disadvantage in York. The next round of the York Community Fund opens in August 2026. (Sources: Two Ridings Community Foundation | YO1 Radio)

📈 York Welcomed 9.4 Million Visitors Last Year — Tourism Now Worth £2 Billion to the City — New analysis published this week notes that York welcomed 9.4 million visitors in 2024 — a 5% increase on the year before — with tourism now contributing over £2 billion to the local economy. The growth is being attributed in part to a deliberate year-round events strategy, moving away from reliance on summer peaks. The York Christmas Market alone drew 1.2 million visitors with 37% staying overnight. Tourism directly and indirectly supports more than 16,700 jobs in the city. (Sources: YorkMix | Make It York)

🚌 Rougier Street Bus Gate Pressure Grows on Council — The plan to close Rougier Street and Micklegate to most vehicles is facing mounting criticism. Scrutiny papers show the consultation of 2,100 people never actually asked whether respondents supported this specific scheme. Bishophill residents were described as "strongly opposed" in the council's own documents, with more than 300 attending a single drop-in. Traffic modelling showing the knock-on impact for surrounding streets still hasn't been published. The council intends to proceed using an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order — in first, evaluate later. (Source: York News Focus)

🍽️ FOOD & DRINK

⭐ The Walnut Tree, Heworth — One-Star Food Hygiene Rating — The popular Heworth village pub received a one-star food hygiene rating following an inspection on 29 January, meaning "major improvement necessary" for hygienic food handling. The cleanliness of facilities was rated generally satisfactory. The Walnut Tree, part of the Stonegate Group, holds 4.2 stars on Google from more than 750 reviews. Neither the pub nor its landlord responded to requests for comment. (Source: Gazette & Herald)

🍴 York Restaurant Week Final Days — Ends This Sunday — Over 100 venues are still taking part in York Restaurant Week until this Sunday 22 March, with offers priced between £5 and £30. Vouchers are free to download at yorkrestaurantweek.co.uk. Don't leave it too late to book. (Source: YorkMix)

🎭 WHAT'S ON

🛍️ Living North LIVE Starts Tomorrow at York Racecourse — Yorkshire's leading homes, gardens and lifestyle event opens tomorrow (Friday 20 March) and runs through to Sunday 22 March at York Racecourse. This year's live chefs include Kevin Bonello from The Grand York and Yorkshire food legend Stephanie Moon. Around 160 exhibitors across food, homeware, garden, fashion and wellbeing. This year's supported charity is Cystic Fibrosis Care. YorkMix has half-price tickets available. (Source: YorkMix Vouchers)

🎵 This Weekend's Gigs — DJ Yoda plays The Crescent on Saturday night — the renowned hip-hop DJ and turntablist who has been wowing crowds since the early 2000s. Also Saturday, Headsticks and Abdoujaparov bring punk energy to the Fulford Arms. Looking ahead, Mike Wozniak — one of the UK's finest comedians — plays the Grand Opera House next Wednesday 25 March. (Source: Songkick)

😂 Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club — York Barbican, Saturday — The Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club returns to York Barbican on Saturday 21 March. Tickets at yorkbarbican.co.uk. (Source: York360)

🏃 SPORT

🏉 York Knights at Wigan Tonight — 8pm, Sky Sports+ Red Button — York travel to the Brick Community Stadium tonight to face Wigan Warriors — the league leaders, unbeaten in all competitions this season. It's the first league meeting between the clubs since 1985/86. Captain Liam Harris misses out through injury. David Nofoaluma returns and Sam Cook joins on loan from Newcastle Thunder. Wigan are priced at 1/14 — but York stunned Hull KR on opening night. (Sources: York RLFC | Total Rugby League)

⚽ York City Home to Brackley Saturday — Gateshead Away Tuesday — The Minstermen host Brackley Town at the LNER Community Stadium on Saturday (3pm) before travelling to Gateshead on Tuesday 24 March (7:45pm). 2,000 away tickets are available for the Gateshead fixture, with a York Pullman coach leaving Memorial Gardens at 4:30pm. Tickets at yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk. (Source: York City FC)

👥 COMMUNITY

🌿 Yorkshire Craft Festival Coming to Parliament Street — 7–12 April — Made in Yorkshire is bringing its celebration of Yorkshire's creative talent to Parliament Street this spring from 7–12 April 2026. Local makers, artisans and independent businesses across the city centre. Worth a wander if you're in town. (Source: YO1 Radio)