THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Wednesday, February 18, 2026

It's Wednesday, and York's serving up the lot: emergency crews pulled someone from the Ouse this morning, a boxing club's bagged £50K to keep kids off streets, and the mayor's floating a £2-per-night visitor levy that could rake in £52 million yearly. Let's dig in.

📰 NEWS

🏥 York Hospital's £8m theatre project in limbo after Merit Holdings collapse; Construction of York Hospital's hybrid surgical theatre and MRI suite has stalled after Merit Holdings went into administration in November, leaving 284 staff redundant. The two-storey facility near the south entrance was being built using on-site and factory methods to speed completion, but the trust now warns costs will "likely increase" as they work with administrators to find a new contractor.

A spokesperson for York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Following the contractor entering administration in November, the project has been delayed, and it is likely that costs will increase.

💰 Mayor unveils visitor levy plan: £2-per-night charge could generate £52m annually; Mayor David Skaith has laid out plans for a Mayoral Overnight Visitor Levy following 100+ meetings with tourism and hospitality businesses across York, Harrogate, Scarborough, and Skipton. Early research suggests a £2-per-person, per-night charge could raise up to £52 million yearly, with the mayor promising proceeds will support pressured public services "without costing residents an extra penny." A region-wide consultation will follow if the government approves the national framework tomorrow.

📮 Council accidentally renews bus pass for man who died in 2019 - A York woman received a five-year bus pass renewal for her grandfather, who died seven years ago and would be 103 at the next renewal in 2031. City of York Council apologised for the "fault in the process," blaming a breakdown in the Tell Us Once service that should notify multiple teams when residents die. The council is reviewing whether this is an isolated incident.

🛟 Emergency crews rescue person from River Ouse; York Rescue Boat volunteers were called out this morning (February 18) to reports of a person in the River Ouse. The crew stood down on scene and left the casualty in the care of the police and Ambulance services.

🏫 York High School's cost-of-living cupboard feeds 45 families weekly
A free cupboard stocked with food, clothing, and essentials at York High School is helping around 45 families each week, primarily those eligible for free school meals. Attendance officer Aimee Stewart, who's run it since 2022, says parents can "take what they need" with no restrictions. Donations come from supermarkets, a church, and residents, with one family calling it "life-changing."

💼 BUSINESS

💇 Blue Hairdressing named finalist in Press Best Hairdresser 2026;
Blue Hairdressing in Franklins Yard, Fossgate, has been named a finalist in The Press' Best Hairdresser 2026 competition. The salon, open 30+ years and moved from Little Stonegate in 2024, offers cuts, coloring, extensions, and updos with a team of seven. Voting slips run in newspapers until Saturday, February 28.

👔 York Jobcentre launches Springboard hospitality training course March 9; York Jobcentre is partnering with Springboard to run a two-week virtual hospitality course starting March 9, following 40+ successful graduates over two years. The free program includes industry certificates, CV development, interview prep, work experience, and guaranteed employer interviews. York's claimant count dropped 60 (2%) year-on-year to 2,465 in January, bucking national trends.

🎓 EDUCATION

🍳 Council explores future options for Hungry Minds as national breakfast rollout looms; With the government planning to roll out free breakfast clubs to all pupils nationwide, York's Hungry Minds campaign may pivot to new priorities. Cllr Bob Webb says freed-up funds could support "additional fresh food or other public health benefits," potentially extending to secondary schools. The campaign currently funds breakfast clubs at 10 York primaries, with 170,000 meals planned over three years.

❤️ COMMUNITY

🥊 New Earswick Boxing (KO) for Kindness secures £50K from the mayor's community fund; Charlie Malarkey's boxing hub at New Earswick Sports Club is nearing completion after landing £50,000 from Mayor David Skaith's Community Buildings Programme. The venue aims to get young people "off the streets and give them a purpose," with a March topping-out ceremony planned. Charlie, who leads the Salvation Army's early intervention team in York, says police report kids as young as 11 are "desperate for it to open."

👰 York Against Cancer hosting pre-loved wedding dress sale March 1; Future brides can find affordable gowns while supporting cancer services at York Against Cancer's Brides for a Cause event on Sunday, March 1, 10am-4pm at The Leveson Centre (York Community Stadium). Dresses donated by Treasured Brides boutique retail between £1,500 and £2,900. MAC will offer lip demos and wedding makeup tutorials, with a stylist on hand for try-ons.

#treasuredbrides #weddingdresssale #weddingfair #cancersupport #weddingsale #yorkevents | York Against Cancer

We were blown away by a visit from Zoe from #TreasuredBrides yesterday. Zoe has been incredibly generous and donated a total of 12 sample dresses from her boutique for our upcoming Brides for a Cause - Pre-Loved Wedding Dress Sale! These dresses originally retail from £1,500 to £2,900 each and have only ever been tried on briefly in the boutique. To get them at a HUGE bargain, join us at our dress sale on Sunday 1st March in The Leveson Centre, 10am-4pm. Find out more on our website 👉 https://lnkd.in/eqKdq_6q #weddingdresssale #weddingfair #cancersupport #weddingsale #yorkevents

LinkedInYork Against Cancer

💝 Jane Tomlinson Appeal overwhelmed by £4m in grant applications
The Jane Tomlinson Appeal's £250,000 Big Charity Giveaway has been swamped with £4 million worth of applications from Yorkshire, Midlands, and Liverpool charities. Trustees are now taking extra time to review submissions for grants ranging from £200 to £15,000, supporting causes from poverty alleviation to cancer services.

🎨 ARTS & CULTURE

🎸 Levellers announce York Barbican show for October 29; Brighton folk-rockers Levellers are bringing their 35th anniversary tour of Levelling The Land to York Barbican on Thursday, October 29, 2026. The tour celebrates the platinum-selling album with hits like 'One Way,' '15 Years,' and 'Far From Home.' Essex punk duo The Meffs support all dates. Tickets on general sale Friday, February 20 at 10am.

🖼️ YorKAOS children's art exhibition opens Tuesday at SPARK;
YorKAOS, the free art exhibition run by 10-year-olds Ada, Seth, Ellie, and Olive, opens Tuesday, February 17 through Saturday, February 21 at SPARK. After raising £1,800 last year and exhibiting 220+ artworks from 40 primary schools, this year's show features primary-aged children's paintings, drawings, and collages. Artworks with green stickers are for sale on a "pay as you feel" basis (£10 minimum).

🎭 WHAT'S ON

🏛️ Grand Opera House expansion: 15 new seats approved to push capacity toward 1,000; City of York Council has approved plans to install 15 seats at the back of the Grand Opera House's third tier, bringing capacity to around 1,000. Officers say the expansion could attract large-scale touring shows and allow ticket price reductions. Privacy screens will be lowered 20cm and false brass rails removed to improve views. The Grade II-listed venue on Cumberland Street will raise the floor above currently unused space behind the back row.

⚕️ HEALTH

⚰️ Crematorium fees rising April 2026: Adult cremation up £57 to £1,197; York Crematorium fees will rise from April as part of City of York Council's 2025/26 budget. Adult cremation with 25-30 minute service increases 5% to £1,197, simple Ebor Chapel service rises £44 to £924. Interring ashes goes up £5 to £105, scattering ashes £20 to £170. DVD recordings climb £14 to £79, with a new Saturday interment surcharge of £100. Cremations for stillborn babies, children up to 18, and care leavers under 25 remain free.

⚽ SPORT

🏆 York Central MP backs 3UP campaign for third National League promotion spot; MP Rachael Maskell is supporting the 3UP campaign calling for a third promotion place between National League and League Two. "The National League is long overdue for a third place," Maskell said, noting 93% of supporters back the change. York City FC, currently top of the National League, also backs the campaign. It's been 23 years since the second promotion spot was added.

🚌 TRANSPORT

🆓 Free buses for University of York students with children; Children of student parents at the University of York can now travel for free on campus buses following a York SU campaign. Students themselves weren't charged within the university's free zone, but their children were — until now. Community and Wellbeing Officer Sam Dickinson successfully lobbied First Bus to change the policy, putting "pounds back into their pockets."

💻 TECHNOLOGY

📱 How York's entertainment habits are evolving with technology
Digital-first entertainment is reshaping York nights out, from mobile ticketing ("Your phone is now also your ticket" at York Barbican) to algorithmic discovery. Visit York reported 3.4 million website views from 1.3 million unique users April-December 2024, with a Facebook post titled "York: The Most Haunted City in Europe" reaching 1.86 million people. UK cinema admissions rose 2.3% in 2024 to 126.5 million, suggesting physical experiences remain resilient alongside streaming's 68.8% UK household penetration.

🌳 ENVIRONMENT

🌲 Yorkshire farmers invited to event on value of trees; Yorkshire farmers are being invited to an event exploring the economic and environmental value of trees on farmland, part of broader efforts to support sustainable agriculture across the region.