THE YORK BRIEF Wednesday, December 10, 2025

✨ Hello, York.
The rain’s easing but the city’s still heavy with flood alerts, a major gang case now behind bars, and a huge turnaround on Yorkshire’s hosepipe ban. But there’s brightness too - from a luxury new spa beneath The Grand to York City sweeping league honours and plenty happening across the streets, suburbs and studios. Let’s get into everything you need to know today.

🌤️ YOUR TUESDAY WEATHER

Cloudy and increasingly windy with rain this morning, followed by a shower or two this afternoon. Expect highs around 12°C. Tonight: breezy this evening, then partly cloudy with lows of 8°C. (AccuWeather)

🌊 NEWS

🚨Storm Darragh keeps York flood warnings active - River levels remain elevated after Storm Darragh, with the Ouse at York measuring 3.03m - just above the 3m property flooding threshold. Flood warnings are in place for properties on King’s Staith and riverside areas from Lendal Bridge to Millennium Bridge. The Foss Barrier is operating and flood gates are closed throughout the city. (GOV.UK)

💧 Yorkshire hosepipe ban LIFTED today - After months of restrictions following the driest spring in 132 years, Yorkshire Water has lifted its hosepipe ban with immediate effect. Reservoir levels have recovered to 91.6% (up from a low of 30.6%), thanks to 14 weeks of sustained rainfall. The ban helped save 3.1 billion litres - equivalent to 69 days of York’s average water usage. Nearly 15,000 leaks were fixed during the restriction period. (Gazette & Herald) | (YorkMix)

🚨 CRIME

⚖️ Gang jailed for eight years for flooding York with Class A drugs - York’s chief judge lamented the scourge of Class A drug dealing as he jailed three men for a combined eight years for operating a sophisticated ‘county lines’ racket between Bradford, Leeds and York. Haider Arshed, 28, received four years for coordinating supply of heroin and crack cocaine over 12 months using the ‘Max Line’ phone number with over 32,000 texts and calls. (YorkMix)

🚔 Police seize stolen vehicles and illegal e-bikes in York Officers from York North Neighbourhood Policing Team recovered two stolen vehicles, seized an uninsured car, and removed two illegal e-bikes from the roads in recent operations. The team also attended community coffee mornings and drop-in sessions, giving residents opportunities to raise concerns—and even managed a quick chat with Santa. (Yahoo News/York Press)

🏗️ PROPERTY & PLANNING

🏥 Derelict Clifton mental health unit to become residential home - A former mental health referral unit on The Avenue in Clifton, which has stood empty for years, could be converted into a flexible residential dwelling with six bedrooms. York Council has received an application to change the building’s use class, with further renovation plans to follow. The property is in a sustainable location near shops and services. (Yahoo News/York Press)

🏘️ 645 new homes approved for Norton with school and link road - North Yorkshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee has unanimously approved plans for 645 homes on land adjacent to Norton Lodge, Beverley Road. The development by Barratt, David Wilson Homes, and Taylor Wimpey includes 141 affordable properties, a new link road from Beverley Road to Hugden Way to ease town centre congestion, and outline permission for a new primary school. The scheme will provide £2.3m in CIL payments toward local infrastructure and deliver 18% biodiversity net gain. (Gazette & Herald) | (YorkMix)

🏨 room2 hotel construction progressing at Piccadilly - Building work is well underway on the new 116-room room2 “hometel” at the former Swinson House site in Piccadilly, with the core structure now visible. Following archaeological discoveries of Roman and Anglo-Saxon artefacts, the project has entered vertical construction phase. The sustainable hotel, backed by a £41.75m loan through Coutts Commercial, will feature guest rooms with kitchens, meeting space, a gym, and Winnie’s Cafe and Bar when it opens in Spring 2027. (Yahoo News/York Press)

🔥Stone Roses Bar plans safety and accessibility upgrades - The Stone Roses Bar on King Street has lodged plans for works to improve fire safety and ensure evacuation routes meet current standards. Alterations include widening the main entrance to comply with fire regulations, fitting new doors, extending and cladding external steps in red quarry tiles, and creating a new accessible toilet. The mid-19th Century building, previously The Grapes Inn, was rebranded in 2018. (York Press)

🕍 HERITAGE & COMMUNITY

🌺 Jewish Community pushes for proper 1190 memorial garden at Clifford’s Tower - York Liberal Jewish Community is urging councillors to reinstate plans for a full memorial garden at Clifford’s Tower ahead of Thursday’s planning decision on the £10m Castle and Eye of York redevelopment. The current proposal includes only a small “1190 Memorial Space,” but community leaders want a contemplative garden with seating, Hebrew inscriptions, and space for prayer and reflection to properly commemorate the massacre of up to 150 Jews in 1190. (Gazette & Herald)

🐕 Police dog pioneer reunited with modern unit he helped establish - Former York City Police officer Alan Smith, now 91, returned to North Yorkshire Police’s Dog Section base near Northallerton for an emotional reunion with the unit he helped establish over 60 years ago. In the early 1960s, Smith and colleague John Poole created York’s first dog-handling unit with German Shepherds Shane and Duke - pioneering work that laid foundations for today’s specialist team. Smith’s Shane assisted in 30 arrests and was crowned North-East Champion Police Dog before passing away aged six. (This is the Coast) | (Yahoo News)

🍽️ HOSPITALITY

💆 SubRosa Spa opens at The Grand York after £2.8m refurbishment - The Grand York unveiled its stunning new SubRosa Spa yesterday (December 8) following an eight-month, £2.8m transformation of the hotel’s historic vaults. The wellness retreat features a Tirol hot sauna, Himalayan salt sauna, Salt and Light Therapy room, herbal steam room, large hydrotherapy pool, foot spas, and relaxation rooms. SubRosa is the first spa in the North of England to offer SeaBody bio-tech marine treatments, and features unique marocMaroc rituals inspired by Moroccan traditions. G(Gazette & Herald) | (Travel and Tour World) | (YorkMix)

🚗 TRANSPORT & INFRASTRUCTURE

🚌 First Bus Christmas timetable changes confirmed First Bus announced festive period timetable changes. City network services run normally until Monday, December 23, then switch mainly to Saturday timetables with limited special services on Bank Holidays. University of York services operate reduced timetables from Sunday, December 21, resuming normal service Sunday, January 4, 2026. (First Bus)

⚽ SPORT

🏆 York City dominate National League November awards - York City scooped both monthly honours from the Enterprise National League after a perfect November record. Manager Stuart Maynard won Manager of the Month after City won all six league matches, scoring 24 goals. Striker Ollie Pearce claimed Player of the Month with ten goal contributions (six goals, four assists), taking his season tally to 16 goals and 6 assists - 22 contributions in 21 league matches. (York Press)

🥊 York boxer Henri Cooper eyes big 2026 Eighteen-year-old York boxer Henri Cooper is celebrating a successful 2025 after turning professional and winning his first two bouts. The former Millthorpe School student, trained by York’s Henry Wharton, made his pro debut in Leeds in October (described by Wharton as “one of the best I’ve ever seen”) and followed up with a second victory in Doncaster. Cooper, who sold an average of 140 tickets to each bout, is focusing on gaining experience in 2026 before targeting titles. (York Press)

👕 Wigginton Grasshoppers FC gets £700 kit sponsorship from Specsavers Wigginton Grasshoppers FC First Team is sporting fresh new kit thanks to £700 sponsorship from York Specsavers Home Visits team. The kit includes a special tribute to the club’s late president and founder, John Jeffery, under the collars—ensuring he’ll be “supporting them at every match” following his passing earlier this year. (Gazette & Herald)

🎄 COMMUNITY & WHAT’S ON

📚 Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda Owen visits York Saturday - Grab your copy! Our Yorkshire Farm star Amanda Owen signs her first-ever children’s book, Christmas Tales from the Farm, at The Blue House Bookshop in Bootham this Saturday (December 13) from 4pm. The festive collection features stories of runaway reindeer, clever sheepdogs, and three little goats - all inspired by real-life adventures at her 2,000-acre Ravenseat farm. To reserve a copy, email karen@thebluehousebookshop.co.uk. (Gazette & Herald)

🎅North Pole adventure open at Dobbies through Christmas Eve - Dobbies Garden Centre York has unveiled its 2025 Santa’s Grotto experience, inviting children on a magical journey through polar games, reindeer food making, and a visit with Santa. Running through December 24, tickets cost £14-£16 per child depending on date. A sensory-friendly Quiet Grotto session was offered December 5 for children with additional needs. Book at dobbies.com/events. (Yahoo News/York Press)

🎨 Year 4 pupil’s Christmas card design wins Lovell competition - Jessica from Howden Junior School has won a competition to design the official 2025 Christmas card for residents at a York housing development managed by Lovell. Her artwork will feature on the front, with runner-up designs by year five pupil Filomena and year six pupil Daisy appearing inside and on the back. (YO1 Radio)

🎓 UNIVERSITY

🌿 York St John students give “Voices for Nature” - Students from York St John University’s English Language and Linguistics programme have launched Voices for Nature - a creative project using poetry, photography, and reflective writing to explore humanity’s relationship with the natural world and spark conversations about environmental responsibility. (York St John University)

That’s today’s round-up - from rising rivers to rising talent, new builds, bold plans and a city always moving. If you see something we should cover, just reply and tell us. Stay dry, keep warm, and I’ll be back tomorrow with the latest across York.