THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Thursday, 9th April 2026

Bonjour from the other side of the heatwave, York. Yesterday felt genuinely unbelievable for early April. Today we're back to coats and clouds - but at least there's plenty to talk about.

📰 NEWS

🌿 Ancient pear trees at risk as Bishopthorpe Palace wall repairs approved - City of York Council has approved a major scheme to repair the historic garden walls at Bishopthorpe Palace - the official residence of Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell - but the plans have raised serious concerns about the fate of eight veteran pear trees, two of which are set to be removed. A 2024 survey found the walls leaning up to 28cm in places, with bulges and cracks caused by fruit tree canopies pushing against the brickwork over 250 years. The approved scheme will see 28 steel posts installed along leaning sections, stainless steel bars used to reinforce cracks, and repointing carried out in line with Historic England guidance. Rebuilding the walls from scratch was ruled out to avoid loss of historic fabric. The palace gardens are currently leased to Brunswick Organic Nursery, where the trees are grown for the public. The Northern Fruit Group warned the works could damage the ancient trees, some no longer commercially available. Yorkshire Post | Gazette & Herald | YorkMix |

⚖️ New area coroner appointed for York and North Yorkshire - Solicitor-turned-barrister Sarah Middleton has been appointed as area coroner for York and North Yorkshire, jointly by City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council. She specialises in inquest law, regulatory law and family law, and was previously assistant coroner for Hull and East Yorkshire. She qualified as a solicitor in 2005 and was called to the Bar in 2021, and is currently authorised to chair police misconduct proceedings. She will work alongside senior coroner Jonathan Heath at Northallerton Coroner's Court. Gazette & Herald

🧼 York firm PPS wins seven-figure contract with Bolton schools - York-based cleaning and catering equipment supplier PPS has been awarded a three-year, seven-figure contract with Bolton Council to supply chemicals and consumables to approximately 90 schools across the borough. The deal followed a competitive tender and includes dedicated account management and customer support. PPS sales director Jenny McGuckin said the contract represents "a significant milestone" in the company's growth within the public sector. York Press

⛽ Iran war ceasefire announced - but York Council has already absorbed thousands extra in fuel costs - City of York Council has been absorbing higher fuel bills running to thousands of pounds a week as a result of the US-Israel war on Iran, which pushed global oil prices above $100 a barrel after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed in early March. A two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan was announced yesterday, with Iran confirming the Strait will reopen to shipping during the truce period. Markets rallied sharply, with Brent crude falling around 13%, but analysts caution that prices remain well above pre-war levels and the ceasefire is already showing cracks, with Israel continuing strikes in Lebanon. Negotiations between the US and Iran are due to begin in Islamabad on Friday. York Press | YorkMix

📊 New data hub launched to help York businesses track visitor trends - York BID has launched a free online economic data hub giving city businesses access to real-time insights on visitor spending, footfall, hotel occupancy and retail vacancy rates. Developed in partnership with York Business School at York St John University, which provided a dedicated data analyst, the platform draws on anonymised data from millions of BT and EE device users via CYC's BT Active Intelligence system. Hospitality Association York (HAY) is contributing monthly hotel occupancy data. York BID business manager Chris Bush said the aim is to help businesses "make decisions with more confidence." YorkMix | Yahoo News UK

🏠 Student lettings agency expands into York - Loughborough-based student lettings agency loc8me has moved into York, making it the firm's seventh northern location alongside Newcastle, Durham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool and Hull. The company manages over 3,500 properties and around 8,000 student bedrooms across 19 university cities. York properties will be managed from its Leeds office, serving a market of more than 22,000 students in the city. Founder Raffaele Russo said York "values quality, consistency and trust." York Press | Insider Media

🎓 York ranked among the best cities in the UK for students - A new survey by the University of Melbourne Online, assessing 50 UK cities across social life, wellbeing, study and work opportunities and cost of living, has placed York among the top six - praised for low utility bills, strong safety and healthcare ratings and a solid library network. York placed above Bath and Manchester in the ranking. Gazette & Herald

🚭 Two York residents front new regional stop-smoking campaign - Peter Milner from Stockton Lane, who smoked for over 50 years before a COPD diagnosis prompted him to quit six weeks ago, and Shaun Bettison from near Leeman Road, who smoked for 43 years, are both fronting Yorkshire and Humber's first quit smoking campaign to be developed and filmed in the region. The "Turn the Corner" campaign launches this week across TV, radio and social media with the message that every cigarette takes 20 minutes off your life. There are an estimated 13,900 smokers in York. Free support is available through York Health Trainers: york.gov.uk/HealthTrainers or 01904 553377. York Press | BBC News

🚨 CRIME & SAFETY

🍺 Whitby's Tate Hill beach left scarred by litter and broken glass after Easter - Anti-social behaviour over the Easter weekend has left Whitby's Tate Hill beach, the small harbour beach beneath the 199 Steps, popular with York day-trippers, covered in litter and broken glass. The incidents serve as a timely warning with more warm weekends forecast and many York families likely to head to Whitby in the coming weeks: broken glass in particular poses serious risks to children and dogs on the beach. York Mix

🎙️ Podcast shines light on county lines in York - A York resident has drawn attention to a Times podcast series - Investigation, part of The Story - documenting North Yorkshire Police's long-running efforts to combat county lines Class A drug supply into the city. The series covers how organised crime gangs exploit legal protections designed to safeguard children, with some 14-year-olds being drawn into, and in some cases running, drug lines into York. North Yorkshire Police have had real successes in reducing the number of active lines, but investigators describe the challenge as like "whack a mole." The letter-writer urges York residents to listen - and notes that public intelligence remains crucial to police efforts. York Press

🎨 ARTS & CULTURE

🖤 Black Phillip's Impossible Market comes to York this Saturday - An immersive multi-sensory market is heading to The Impossible Bar on St Helen's Square, opposite Betty's, this Saturday, 11 April. Black Phillip's Impossible Market, following a previous outing at the Castle Museum, brings together hand-picked independent traders selling handmade goods, homewares and taxidermy artefacts, set against eclectic aromas, ambient sounds and a blend of colours and textures. The Impossible Bar's cocktail menu runs alongside the stalls throughout the day. Gazette & Herald

🚂 HERITAGE

🌉 Help save a 180-year-old railway bridge - before it's too late - The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is continuing its urgent appeal to raise £800,000 to repair Bridge 42, a Grade II listed stone arch bridge built in 1836 for the original Whitby and Pickering Railway, which handles around 10,000 locomotive movements a year. Without the bridge the NYMR cannot run its full line from Pickering through to Whitby. Temporary propping has been installed to keep the railway operational through the 2026 season, but £215,000 has been raised so far towards the full target and much more is needed. Limited edition prints by Leeds-based printmaker David Cockayne are now available along the line and online, and donors of £25 or more receive a commemorative pin badge. Donate at nymr.co.uk/bridge42. York Press

🏃 SPORT

🏉 Jones-Bishop played on and scored with a broken foot - now out for weeks - York Knights winger Ben Jones-Bishop, 37, has been confirmed out for a prolonged period after it emerged he played on through the second half of the Knights' defeat to Wakefield Trinity with a broken foot — and still crossed for a try in the 34th minute before finally coming off just after the hour. Head coach Mark Applegarth said he was "gutted" for the veteran Jamaican international: "He scored that try against Wakefield with a broken foot. He leapt in the air, which tells you how tough that man is." Jones-Bishop joins a growing injury list, Toa Mata'afa, Liam Harris and Jon Bennison are also out, as York prepare for the Challenge Cup quarter-final at Hull KR this Saturday. Love Rugby League

👥 COMMUNITY:

🧠 An 11-year-old with a brain tumour is asking every Kirsty in the world to find her - Kirsty, 11, from Tunbridge Wells — who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in November 2024 and is currently midway through chemotherapy - has created an online map asking every person named Kirsty (or Kirstie) to add their photo and location. The goal is to show her she is not alone, raise awareness of childhood brain tumours, and raise funds for OSCAR's Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity — the York-founded charity set up in memory of nine-year-old York boy Oscar Hughes who died of a brain tumour in 2014. Over 330 Kirstys have already joined the map from across the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Malaysia and the US. To join the map and donate, visit oscarscharity.org. York Press

✝️ Burnholme care home residents mark Easter with hymns and reflection - Residents at Mossdale Residence on Bad Bargain Lane in Burnholme celebrated Easter with a special service led by Reverend David, who spoke about the resurrection and led hymn singing accompanied by guitar. Wellbeing coordinator Julie Infield said the afternoon was "wonderful" and that "moments of connection, music and reflection are incredibly important for wellbeing." Residents enjoyed tea and refreshments afterwards. York Press | Gazette & Herald

🍺 FOOD & DRINK:

🏆 York CAMRA crowns Helmsley Brewery its Spring Pub of the Season - The Helmsley Brewing Company taproom on Bridge Street in Helmsley has been named Spring 2026 Town and Country Pub of the Season by York CAMRA. Founded in 2014 by former teacher Kyle Boote - whose Wolds Gold and Striding in the Ridings ales are sold in York pubs including the Little Alehouse on Stonegate — the taproom received its award during a York CAMRA member visit at the end of March. Branch chairman Chris Tregellis said Helmsley "has ambitions to become the country's first Town of Culture and luckily it has an excellent brewery and pubs to match." Boote said he was "chuffed" with the recognition. York Press | Gazette & Herald