THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Good morning, York! ❄️⚔️ - The Vikings have invaded. The council coffers are under pressure. The traffic outside the hospital has hit a breaking point. And somewhere on Parliament Street, someone is getting a hand-poked tattoo. It's half-term, and York is absolutely buzzing - let's get you caught up.

📰 NEWS

💰 Council Tax to Rise 4.99% From April; City of York Council has formally approved a challenging 2026/27 budget with a 4.99% council tax increase, adding roughly £1.47 per week to the average Band C household bill. Council Leader Cllr Claire Douglas said the rise - driven by inflationary pressure on services - was "in no way taken lightly," with pledges to protect adult social care, roads and the Neighbourhood Caretakers Team. The council is working with the Regional Mayor and private sector partners to attract outside investment so limited funds can be focused on resident priorities. (Read Band-by-band breakdown: York Press)

🚗 Over 1,000 Sign Petition Over York Hospital Traffic Crisis; Three Labour councillors have launched a petition - now signed by more than 1,000 people - calling for urgent action over chronic congestion on Wigginton Road leading to York Hospital. Patients have reported leaving home an extra hour and a half early to make it to appointments, while bus routes are also being delayed. Councillor Dave Merrett said hospital appointment letters contain no information about parking alternatives or bus options, and called for the revival of a pre-COVID Park and Ride service. Both the hospital trust and City of York Council acknowledged the problem - but warned there are "no quick fix solutions," with a corridor study now being planned. (Source: BBC News)

🏥 York Hospital Theatre Project Still in Limbo; The planned £8m hybrid theatre and MRI diagnostic centre at York Hospital has stalled following the collapse of contractor Merit Holdings into administration in late 2025. The modular construction specialist blamed HMRC's winding-up petition for its demise, leaving 300 staff jobless and multiple NHS projects halted. The York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals Trust says it is "considering procurement options" but has given no new timelines.

🏘️ York MP: 'I Was Kicked Out With a Baby - Renters Deserve Better' York Outer Labour MP Luke Charters revealed on YorkMix Radio's Sunday Late Show that he himself was handed a Section 21 "no fault" eviction notice during the general election campaign - while his wife had a young baby. He backed the Renters' Rights Act (in force from 1 May), which ends no-fault evictions, rent bidding wars and fixed contracts, and called for thousands of new homes to be built around York - including 3,000 at the old Elvington runway - while firmly ruling out tax relief for landlords.

📺 Digital Ad Screens Planned for York Station Entrance: Three large digital advertising screens could replace 18 poster displays in York Station's portico entrance under plans lodged by Bauer Media Outdoor and LNER. The Finnish-made Symbicon IconOne screens would show real-time passenger updates, council messages and rotating adverts every 10 seconds, with revenue helping fund the station's running costs. (Source: YorkMix)

🚨 CRIME & COMMUNITY SAFETY

🎵 Midnight Bowie Blast Ends in Stereo Seizure; York Magistrates issued a warrant to seize a stereo and dozens of CDs from a Margaret Street flat after officers confirmed the tenant had breached a Noise Abatement Notice - repeatedly blasting 80s hits and David Bowie tracks from midnight, sometimes on repeat all night. Council officers and North Yorkshire Police executed the warrant together on 6 February. Cllr Michael Pavlovic warned: excessive noise nuisance can ultimately impact tenancies.

🔍 Police Hunt Aggressive Man on Fewster Way; North Yorkshire Police are appealing for information after a man behaved in an aggressive and intimidating manner toward a woman and her young child on Fewster Way off Fishergate at around 11:30 am on Thursday, 12 February. The man - described as white, wearing a grey tracksuit and black baseball cap, reportedly attempted to block the woman's path before she and the child left the scene unharmed. Anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage from the area is urged to call 101 (option 2, ask for PC 571 Matla), or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting ref 12260026462.

👥 COMMUNITY

💙 Tributes to Beloved Leveson Centre Manager Debbie Smith; The York cancer community is mourning the loss of Debbie Smith, a founding manager of The Leveson Centre in Huntington and a former paediatric oncology nurse. York Against Cancer called her "central to the success of the centre," adding her passion "shone through in everything she did." Her husband Colin paid tribute, saying he could not find words for how much she would be missed. Hundreds remembered her online as a "beautiful soul" whose legacy lives on in the centre she helped build from the ground up.

🗳️ Lib Dem Chair Removal Row in North Yorkshire; Senior North Yorkshire councillors have denied claims that Ripon Lib Dem councillor Barbara Brodigan was removed as chair of the children and families scrutiny committee in retaliation for scrutinising the council's controversial home-to-school transport policy. Lib Dem leaders say Tories and Labour worked together to replace her with a member of the ruling group - a charge the council denies.

“If there is blame for a loss of trust between the council and parents over home-to-school transport, it does not lie with Barbara but with members on the Tory and Labour benches who have voted to get rid of her.”

🏛️ ARTS & CULTURE

⚔️ JORVIK Viking Festival Is Back — Tattoos, Swords and All The 41st JORVIK Viking Festival has descended on York city centre this half term, running until Sunday 22 February. Highlights include hand-poked Viking tattoos by artists from Brazil, Germany and Denmark, sword-fighting berserker boot camps, coin minting for just £3, and metalwork, leatherwork and nalebinding demos. Tonight, catch a candlelit Beowulf performance at St Helen's Church from 7pm. The iconic March to Coppergate — 200+ Viking warriors parading from York Minster to the Jorvik Viking Centre — takes place on Saturday. Tens of thousands of visitors expected across the week. (Source: YorkMix | jorvikvikingfestival.co.uk)

🎨 Society of Women Artists Comes to York — A National First For the first time in its 170-year history, the prestigious Society of Women Artists has exhibited outside London - choosing York's Stephenson's Gallery for the honour. "A New Legacy" features mixed media, bronze sculpture, landscapes and portraits running until 1 March. Co-owner Louise Stephenson called it "a dynamic new connection between a national legacy and the vibrant community of artists and collectors in the North."

🎓 EDUCATION & INNOVATION

🏎️ York & Scarborough Schools Top STEM Racing Regional Finals; York and Scarborough students dominated the STEM Racing Regional Finals, held at the National STEM Centre in York on 2–3 February. The competition - backed by Formula 1 - challenges students to design, manufacture and race miniature F1 cars powered by compressed air along a 20-metre track. Teacher Gareth Dyer praised the competition for teaching resilience, project management, and communication far beyond the classroom. (Source: York Press)

🌟 York St John to Host Cities Under Stars Light Pollution Event; Experts, academics and artists will gather at York St John University on Wednesday 25 February for Cities Under Stars: Tackling Light Pollution in Cities (6:30pm–9pm), part of the North York Moors Dark Skies Festival. The event will explore how York can reduce light pollution, protect biodiversity and public health, and potentially become a national leader in Dark Sky Friendly urban design. Features include a panel discussion, live dance poetry performance by The Long Dead Stars, and a hands-on Right Light Roadshow from 5 pm. Free to attend - book via Eventbrite. (Source: York Press)

❤️ Free CPR Training Coming to Yorkshire Secondary Schools; Yorkshire Ambulance Service is calling on secondary schools to register for free CPR training as part of the 13th annual Restart a Heart Day on Friday 16 October. Since 2014, over 311,000 Yorkshire students have been trained. Schools can register via yas.restartaheart@nhs.net. (Source: York Press)

💼 BUSINESS

📈 New Mentoring Programme Launches for York & North Yorkshire Businesses; The York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub has launched a pilot Mentoring for Growth Programme, pairing small business owners with experienced mentors from outside their industry to develop leadership skills and drive sustainable growth. Mayor David Skaith backed the scheme, saying it creates "a place where our businesses can collaborate and grow together." Both mentors and mentees are being sought — apply at ynygrowthhub.com. (Source: York Press)

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💻 HMRC Warning: Vinted and eBay Side-Hustlers Could Face Tax Investigation HMRC is ramping up scrutiny of online sellers on platforms including Vinted, eBay, Depop and Amazon - and York's spring-cleaners should take note. From this year, platforms must report users with more than 30 transactions or £1,700 in gross sales annually. Anyone earning over £1,000 from online selling must declare it via Self-Assessment or risk fines and criminal investigation. Casual sellers offloading personal items are unlikely to be affected — but if you've been running a side hustle, check your records now. (Source: York Press)

👗 QUIZ Fashion Chain in Administration - Clearance Sales Now Live High street fashion retailer QUIZ - which has a presence at York Designer Outlet - has entered administration for the second time in under a year, putting 109 jobs at risk at its Glasgow head office and Lanarkshire warehouse. All 40 standalone UK stores remain open for now, with administrators Interpath confirming expanded clearance discounts are now live across all remaining stock.

🏗️ DEVELOPMENT

⚰️ Work Begins on New York Crematorium at Sand Hutton Construction is underway on the North York Crematorium and Memorial Gardens off the A64 near the York Biotech Campus, due to open this winter. Westerleigh Group's facility will seat 112 people and feature SuperVenue technology for personalised, AV-rich farewell services. Designed to be among the UK's most environmentally friendly crematoria, it was approved on appeal in 2024 after initially being refused by North Yorkshire councillors. (Source: YorkMix | Yorkshire Post)

🎃 WHAT'S ON

🍫 York Gears Up for Easter Chocolate Trail; York is already in full Chocolate City mode ahead of Easter. Visit York is promoting the self-guided Chocolate Taste Trail and a packed programme running through to the York Chocolate Festival (1–5 April, Parliament Street) - celebrating the city's confectionery heritage as home to Terry's and Rowntree's. York's Chocolate Story, York Cocoa Works, and dozens of local chocolatiers are involved, with workshops, tastings and egg-decorating all on offer.

🌸 Hunt for Rare Pink Daffodil With York Family Roots The RHS has launched a nationwide "Daffodil Diaries" pink-variety with historic ties to a York family. Keep your eyes peeled on your half-term walks! (Source: YO1 Radio)

🍸 New Cocktail Bar 'Life on Mars' Coming to Lendal Bridge An award-winning cocktail bar promising bold, innovative flavours is set to open on Lendal Bridge later this year. "Life on Mars" is expected to shake up York's drinks scene with a boundary-pushing menu. Opening date to be confirmed.

🧹 Spring Decluttering Workshop Coming to Acomb; York's very own "Declutter Queen" Cher Casey, founder of The Mindful Organiser, is hosting The Art of Decluttering: Spring Clearing at SoJo Bistro in Acomb on Monday 16 March, 7pm–9pm. The £25 session (includes a warm drink) covers the mental wellbeing impact of clutter, sustainable disposal, and how to avoid the dreaded unfinished pile. Tickets at themindfulorganiser.com/events-and-press.