THE YORK BRIEF ⏰Thursday, 20 November 2025

🌥️ GOOD MORNING YORK

Morning, York! Grab a brew and settle in – today’s Brief is packed. We’ve got workplace safety in the spotlight, a brand new policy lab shaping York’s future, some serious courtroom drama, and Mother Nature reminding us winter’s here with a vengeance on the moors. Plus, plans are afoot to make York more inclusive. Let’s dive in.

🌤️ WEATHER UPDATE

A bitterly cold start with temperatures struggling to get above 3°C. Sleet and snow showers are likely throughout the day, especially on higher ground. The Met Office warnings remain in force, so travel carefully if you’re heading out of the city.

💼 BUSINESS & WORKPLACE

💰 Animal Feed Firm Hit with £500K Fine - Thompsons of York has been slapped with a hefty £500,000 fine after a mill supervisor lost part of his foot in a workplace accident at their Murton base. The worker’s boot got caught in unguarded machinery after staff routinely bypassed safety measures – a practice that went unchallenged for too long. Gazette & Herald

🏢 McBeath Property Consultancy Appoints New Director - York-based commercial property firm McBeath Property Consultancy has brought Tom Grimshaw on board as a new director. Founder Andrew McBeath says Grimshaw brings “a wealth of experience from the sharp end of a Leeds-based commercial property agency” after six years at Brackenridge Hanson Tate. Gazette & Herald

🏠 Budget Uncertainty Hits York Property Market - York could be “disproportionately affected” by rumored Autumn Budget property tax changes, according to local estate agent Holly Price. Talk of a “Mansion Tax” on homes over £1.5m and potential stamp duty shifts from buyers to sellers has the market holding its breath ahead of next week’s Budget announcement. York Press

🏛️ CIVIC & POLICY

📊 New Policy Lab to Shape York’s Future - York St John University and the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority have launched a brand new Policy Lab to put robust, community-focused research at the heart of regional policy. First up? A potential visitor levy that could rake in £26-52 million annually for York and North Yorkshire – money that could fund vital infrastructure and protect our natural environment. York St John University | Gazette & Herald

“The Policy Lab brings communities, universities and businesses together to spark new thinking, solve problems and turn great ideas into action. It’s about practical change that strengthens our region and improves life for everyone.”

⚖️ COURTS & CRIME

📱 Ex-Councillor in Court Over Alleged Tweets - Former North Yorkshire councillor Patricia Marsh, 77, appeared at York Magistrates’ Court yesterday accused of making tweets likely to stir up racial hatred. The posts, allegedly made on X between January and February last year, have been described as antisemitic – though Marsh has previously denied this. Gazette & Herald

🚨 Chief Constable Condemns Disgraced Ex-Officer - North Yorkshire’s Chief Constable Tim Forber hasn’t minced words about Paul Beckwith, the former York PC who worked on the Claudia Lawrence investigation. Beckwith was sentenced this week for nine sexual offences including voyeurism and possessing indecent images of children. Gazette & Herald | Gazette & Herald

“This misconduct is totally incompatible with being a police officer, and the facts of this offence have the potential to significantly undermine public confidence in policing. I consider that dismissal will make this clear and prevent future misconduct.

🏳️‍🌈 COMMUNITY

🌈 Little J’s Hours Decision Made - York Council’s licensing hearing for Little J’s – the city’s only LGBTQ+ venue – took place yesterday. The North Street venue had applied to extend hours to 3am Sun-Wed and 4am Thu-Sat to provide a late-night safe space. Both police and council objected due to the area’s cumulative impact zone, though supporters argue York’s lack of a late-night queer venue is “embarrassing” for a city of this size. Decision pending. YorkMix | Yorkshire Post

♿ York Disability Week Takes Shape - Mark your calendars: York Disability Week runs 29 November - 6 December with 30+ events celebrating inclusion and accessibility. There’s wheelchair rugby, accessible sports, creative workshops, social gatherings, and even a tour of York City FC’s accessible stadium. It’s for everyone – disabled people, carers, families, businesses keen to be more inclusive, or anyone just interested in learning more. Most events are free. “Join a movement to foster a more inclusive York,” say organisers. Gazette & Herald

📚 Bishopthorpe Library’s Window Win - Community spirit shines bright in Bishopthorpe, where The Friends of Bishopthorpe Library raised £11,665 to replace the library’s rotting windows – plus another £5,780 donated by local magazine LINK for new fascia boards. The building’s served as a library since 1968 and saw 23,800 visits last year. York Mix

🎓 HIGHER EDUCATION

🌍 University of York Tops Global Sustainability Rankings - The University of York has landed 39th out of 1,900+ universities worldwide in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026 – keeping it in the top 2% globally. Even better? For the third year running, York took first place worldwide in the Governance category. The uni also jumped to 2nd in the world for Knowledge Exchange. University of York

👨‍⚕️ York Professor to Lead National Men’s Health Strategy - Professor Paul Galdas from the University of York has been appointed Chair of the Men’s Health Academic Network – the body that’ll advise government on England’s first-ever men’s health strategy. Galdas, who wrote the strategy’s foreword, attended the launch at 10 Downing Street on International Men’s Day. Locally, he chairs the York & North Yorkshire Men’s Mental Health Taskforce. University of York

📋 York Steiner School Needs Improvement, Says Ofsted - York Steiner School has been rated “requires improvement” by Ofsted and doesn’t currently meet independent school standards. Inspectors who visited in September flagged issues with curriculum coherence, inconsistent phonics teaching, and patchy SEND support for the school’s 190 pupils aged 3-16. York Press

❄️ WEATHER & TRAVEL

🚗 Hundreds Stranded in Snow Chaos - Winter arrived with a vengeance yesterday as hundreds of vehicles got stuck on the A171 near Whitby after two lorries and two cars blocked the road in heavy snow. North Yorkshire Police issued a “do not travel” plea as the North York Moors got battered with up to 25cm of snow. The A169 was also shut due to heavy conditions. Amber warnings remain in place, with blizzard conditions possible and temperatures plunging to -2°C. If you’re heading moorward, seriously reconsider. YorkMix | Gazette & Herald

✈️ Dramatic Aircraft ‘Near Miss’ Captured Over York - A York photographer captured a jaw-dropping sequence yesterday showing two commercial jets appearing to race toward each other head-on at more than 500mph in the skies above the city. Camera club member Lynnette Cammidge snapped the shots at York Sports Club on Shipton Road at 3pm, prompting gasps of “looks too close...a near miss.” Gazette & Herald

🏉 SPORT

🏆 York Valkyrie Tie Young Forward to Two-Year Deal - York Valkyrie have rewarded 17-year-old Izzy Brennan with a two-year contract after her breakout season. The youngster stepped up from the Under 19s when injuries hit and played a crucial role in York retaining the Super League title – including an influential performance in the Grand Final win over St Helens. Fellow Under 19s graduate Evie Sexton also earned a two-year deal. Total Rugby League

“Playing with the players I’ve watched for years, who are now my team-mates, is really strange,” said Brennan.

And finally...

Whether you’re celebrating the Valkyrie’s young talent or debating the new ‘tourist tax’, the main headline for the next 24 hours is definitely that temperature drop. Keep an eye on your neighbours, drive carefully if you must, and keep those radiators on.

Have a good one, York.