THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Thursday, November 27th, 2025

🌤️ Good Morning, York!

Morning! Right then, grab your brew because there’s plenty happening in our fair city. The budget’s brought some big changes our way - tourist tax powers are finally here (though not everyone’s chuffed), our ducklings are confused about what month it is, and the University’s having another reshuffle. Let’s crack on.

Weather Check:

Bit grey out there this morning with temps around 14°C, feeling more like 6°C with that southerly wind. Expect some drizzle this afternoon – 60% chance of rain, so grab your brolly if you’re heading into town. Winds picking up to 26mph gusts. Typical November, really. MET Office

💼 BUDGET & POLITICS

💰 Mayor Skaith Hails ‘Landmark Budget’ with Tourist Tax Powers - David Skaith’s welcomed the chancellor’s budget as one of the biggest in decades, bringing £13bn for seven mayors including ours, by Richmondshire Today. The scrapping of the two-child benefit cap will lift 1,650 York Central children out of poverty, according to Rachael Maskell MP via Gazette Herald. But the real game-changer? Powers to introduce that long-debated tourism levy, expected to raise around £11 million annually for York, by Gazette Herald.

🏨 Hoteliers ‘Deeply Concerned’ by Tourism Tax Push - Not everyone’s raising a glass to that tourist tax, by Gazette Herald. The Hospitality Association York says they’re “extremely disappointed” that Mayor Skaith lobbied the Chancellor without consulting them. They reckon the £52 million figure is “unqualified” and point out that UK hospitality already pays 20% VAT compared to 10% across Europe. HAY warns the levy could hit visitor numbers hard.

🔵 Lib Dems: ‘Every Penny Should Stay in York’ - York’s Liberal Democrats are backing the tourist tax but with a firm condition - that money raised in York stays in York, by Gazette Herald. Cllr Nigel Ayre says residents want cleaner streets, better-maintained roads, and improved access into the city centre. They’re also pushing for Outer Ring Road upgrades to cut congestion.

🌾 COMMUNITY & COUNTRYSIDE

🚜 Former HSBC IT Boss Takes Helm at Tockwith Show - Phil Tottie, a former Director of IT for HSBC who lives in Cattal, has been elected as the new chairman of Tockwith Show, replacing Georgina Watson who led for five years. Despite admitting he “knows nothing about agriculture,” Tottie brings organizational skills from running big international teams and says the role is “all about team work,” by York Press document. The 2026 show will be held on Sunday August 2 with goats as the theme, featuring over 120 trophies and £6,000 in prize money.

🎓 UNIVERSITY NEWS

🏢 University Completes Piazza Building and Professional Services Hub - Two major projects at the University of York are now complete - the refurbishment of the Piazza Building for the York School of Architecture and the creation of a professional services hub, by York Press document. The hub will provide flexible workspace for teams, while the newly refurbished School of Architecture welcomed its first undergraduates this September. Work began in May and June respectively, with teams moving into the hub from December.

🏛️ Student Support Restructured Amid Staff Cuts - The University of York is completely reshaping its student support system from December 1st, moving wellbeing support from colleges into the Student Hub, by The Tab. After a review found “very few people engage with their college beyond first year,” this comes as 272 staff have already taken voluntary redundancy - 8% of the workforce - as part of £34 million budget cuts. UNISON warns the changes could compromise student safety.

🦆 WILDLIFE & ENVIRONMENT

🐥 November Ducklings: ‘Let’s Hope They Survive’ - Unusual sight near Acaster Malbis - Mallard ducklings hatched in mid-November, likely due to this autumn’s unusually warm weather, by Yahoo News UK. David Smith, who spotted them in his garden pond, reckons it’s climate change causing confusion. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Jono Leadley warns the ducklings may struggle now that wintry weather’s arrived, as food becomes harder to find.

“The effects of global warming continue to surprise and disrupt. Today, November 12, it was lovely, but at the same time worrying, to welcome a hatch of Mallard ducklings into the world. Confused Mum? Let’s hope they survive the cold.”

💼 BUSINESS

🚗 Ray Chapman to Represent Chery in York - Ray Chapman has been appointed to represent Chinese car manufacturer Chery in York, expanding the dealership network in the region, by Motor Trader.

🏛️ HERITAGE & CULTURE

🚂 National Railway Museum Among First to Use Google’s AI Service - York’s National Railway Museum is among the first cultural institutions globally using Google’s new AI-powered Metadata Enhancement Service for a major digital project called “Beyond the Tracks,” by Google Arts & Culture Blog. The AI tool transcribes handwritten documents and historic artifacts from 200 years of railway history, making them searchable online for the first time. Nearly 1,000 items from the UK’s national collection have been digitized as the museum celebrates its 50th anniversary and the railway bicentenary.

🍽️ FOOD & DRINK

☕ One Sip Coffee Opens on Walmgate as York’s Newest Cafe - One Sip Coffee has opened this week at 8 Walmgate, taking over from the popular Paradiso Dolce Salato which closed earlier this summer, by York Press document. Turkish cook Nazli Demir is at the helm, offering full English breakfasts, Turkish breakfast options, and homemade cakes including a unique “spinach cake” based on her mother’s recipe. Open daily from 9am (10am Sundays), with breakfast prices from £6 to £12.90.

🏆 Dark Horse Espresso Named Top 10 Coffee Shop Finalist - The Dark Horse Espresso Bar on Bishopthorpe Road has been named among the top 10 finalists in The Press’s Best Coffee Shop 2025 competition, by Yahoo News UK. The family-run cafe, inspired by Australian coffee culture, has quickly become a Bishy Road favourite since opening its bricks-and-mortar location in 2023.

👥 COMMUNITY

🎄 York Cares Launches Christmas Gift Collection Campaign - York Cares is running its annual Christmas Collection campaign, seeking over 4,000 items for 11 local charities including Door 84, Kyra, and Refugee Action York, by YO1 Radio. The employee-volunteering charity is collecting toiletries, warm clothing, food, toys and gifts to support vulnerable and isolated people this festive season. They’re also hosting the Shimmer and Shine Party on December 4th at De Grey Rooms.

💪 York Woman Survives Pancreatic Cancer Thanks to Early Diagnosis

Suzanne Ford, 67, from Strensall, has urged people not to ignore “trivial symptoms” after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just six days after falling ill, by Gazette Herald. The retired nurse had life-saving surgery at St James’s Hospital in Leeds in November 2023. She’s now fully recovered and playing badminton and yoga, becoming one of the rare survivors of a disease with just a 7% five-year survival rate.

🐕 York Man Joins National Hearing Dogs Charity Board - Costas Skouras from Haxby has been appointed as a new trustee to the board of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, a national charity that trains assistance dogs, by Gazette Herald. The executive-level director of Open Data Services Ltd brings experience working with the NHS, government, and charities including the Alzheimer’s Society. CEO Tracy Griffin says his expertise in strategic transformation will be invaluable as they deliver their new strategy.

🚗 TRANSPORT

🅿️ Drivers Urged to Download Parking App for Festive Shopping - With Christmas shopping season upon us and 62.7% of retail purchases projected to be made in physical stores, drivers are being encouraged to download the PayByPhone app before heading to York, by Gazette Herald. The app works at Q-Park garages including Shambles and Barbican, with AutoPay function allowing drivers to enter without taking a ticket and bypass payment kiosks when leaving. It also helps locate nearest parking spots and EV charging stations.

💷 ECONOMY

📈 York MPs Back Minimum Wage Rises - York Central MP Rachael Maskell and York Outer MP Luke Charters have welcomed the government’s minimum wage increases, by Yahoo News UK. Maskell said raising wages will help with cost of living pressures and improve productivity, while Charters emphasized the pay rise will make “a huge difference for thousands of people across York Outer,” particularly young people and families feeling the squeeze.

“Raising the National Minimum and Living Wage will help people with the cost of living pressures those on low incomes face. We know that when workers are paid better wages, productivity improves and economic activity is stronger.

🏉 SPORT

🏆 York Knights to Host Hull KR in Historic Super League Opener - Right, this is massive. York Knights will face reigning champions Hull KR in their first EVER Super League game on Thursday, February 12th at the LNER Community Stadium - and it’s live on Sky Sports, by Sky Sports. The Knights had a stellar 2025 with a 20-game winning streak, lifting the 1895 Cup and League Leaders’ Shield, by Yorkshire Post. Now they’re stepping up to the big league for the first time in the modern era.

⚽ Gary Elphick’s Role Shifts at York City Under New Manager - Gary Elphick has transitioned from assistant manager to first-team coach at York City following Stuart Maynard’s appointment as manager, by York Press document. The 40-year-old is the only coaching staff member retained from Adam Hinshelwood’s tenure. Elphick says he’s learned from new boss Maynard, who he describes as “one of the most positive human beings I’ve ever met.” City are unbeaten in their last eight league games.

That’s your lot for today! Whether you’re dodging the drizzle on Bishy Road, debating the tourist tax over a flat white, or just wondering what those ducklings are thinking, York’s never short on stories.

Stay warm, stay dry, and we’ll see you tomorrow with more from our brilliant city.