THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Weekend Wrap Up - January 17 - 18, 2025

Hello York,

What a packed week across our region! From nail-biting by-elections and rugby league history in the making to school breakfast boosts and rock legends heading our way, there’s a lot to unpack before your weekend kicks off. And runners – Sunday’s Brass Monkey closures are coming!

WEEKEND WEATHER:

TODAY (Friday 17th): Overcast with highs of 7°C, feeling more like 1°C in the wind. Rain chance stays below 10% until evening, but winds gusting up to 17mph will keep things brisk. Met Office

TOMORROW (Saturday 18th): Mild at 8°C but expect showers – 70-80% chance of rain with up to 5mm possible. Winds calmer at 7-14mph. Brass Monkey runners, pack the waterproofs! Met Office / Meteored

📰 POLITICS

⚖️ Labour Holds Heworth By Knife-Edge; Labour’s Anna Perrett won the Heworth by-election with 1,096 votes, keeping the seat by nearly 500 votes and preserving the ruling group’s council majority of one. Reform UK surged to second place with 601 votes despite “starting from scratch” in York – a 20% share that mirrors national polling trends. Greens took 591, Lib Dems 528, Conservatives just 118. Cost of living dominated doorsteps, with voters recognizing local hard work over national issues. Turnout was 31.6%, matching 2023’s all-out elections. | YorkMix

💰 Council Tax Rise Backed By Residents; Public consultation has backed City of York Council’s proposed 4.99% council tax increase for 2025-26, with 2% ring-fenced for adult social care. The draft budget commits significant investment to social care and children’s services, with 86% of respondents opposing cuts to pothole repairs. Over 80% supported exploring a future tourist tax. Budget decisions at Executive on 21st January, full Council on 27th February. City of York Council

“This year’s budget remains extremely challenging and prioritises the services residents value most, ensuring we protect those who need support while making strategic investments to deliver on Council Plan priorities.”

🚨 CRIME & COURTS

🎥 Murder Trial Sees CCTV Evidence; A York murder trial jury has viewed CCTV footage showing a Peugeot allegedly used by defendants traveling between Vyner Street and James Street Travellers’ Site immediately after the alleged murder, with the vehicle later tracked to Clifton. The prosecution alleges phone and CCTV evidence places the car at multiple locations in the 50 minutes following the incident, including a 10-minute stop at the travellers’ site.

⚖️ Driver Guilty In Professor’s Death; A Land Rover driver was found guilty of causing the death of University of York professor Simon McQueen-Mason, 64, by careless driving. Timothy Cale, 59, reversed into the cyclist’s path on the Isle of Wight in June 2022 before driving away from the scene in Shorwell. Cale claimed he thought he’d hit a tree branch. The professor’s family heard witness testimony of a scream followed by breaking glass. Sentencing scheduled for Portsmouth Crown Court.

⚽ SPORT

🏉 York Knights Ready For History; York Knights have named their first 21-man squad ahead of tomorrow’s pre-season friendly against Huddersfield Giants at the Accu Stadium (3pm kick-off). Nine new signings including Jordan Lipp, Sam Wood, Paul Vaughan, Josh Griffin, Denive Balmforth and Justin Sangare will make their unofficial debuts as Mark Applegarth’s side prepares for their maiden Super League campaign. It’s part of Matty English’s testimonial match. Tickets £15 adults, £5 under-17s. Serious About Rugby League

🏃 Brass Monkey Marathon Sunday; Sunday’s legendary Brass Monkey Half Marathon returns with 1,800 runners hitting York’s streets at 10am. Key closures: Bishopthorpe Road (9:30am-10:20am full closure, then one-way until 1pm), Appleton Road from Moor Lane junction (9:30am-12:30pm), Broad Lane (9:30am-12:30pm), and Daw Lane towards Appleton Roebuck (9:45am-12pm one-way). The 43rd running of York’s winter classic starts and finishes at York Racecourse. York Knavesmire Harriers |

👥 COMMUNITY

🍳 £51K Breakfast Club Boost; Three York primary schools will get 68 extra breakfast and after-school club places after securing £51,000 in government funding. Clifton Green Primary receives £30,000 for 35 places, Dringhouses Primary gets £15,000 for 25 places, and Thorganby Primary receives £6,000 for 8 places. The funding supports national childcare reforms offering working families 30 hours of early education weekly. It follows £333,600 awarded earlier to increase physical capacity and £579,200 for wraparound childcare (8am-6pm).

🏘️ Housing Upgrades Win Tenant Praise; North Yorkshire Council’s improved lettable standard for council homes has been welcomed by York-area tenants. The minimum requirements include high-quality decoration, flooring, and properties free from damp or mould before re-letting. While turnaround times have increased slightly, tenants say the upgrades are worth the wait. The council manages 8,500 homes and has upgraded nearly 250 for new tenants. York Press

“I’d prefer to wait a little longer if it means the house is fully completed,” said Adrian van Toren, an 18-year Harrogate tenant.

💼 BUSINESS

🔬 Biotech Campus Eyes 2026 Growth; York Biotech Campus is “well positioned” to support new businesses in 2026 following a year focused on occupier growth. Medical test manufacturer Abingdon Health continues reporting rapid growth onsite, while Fera Science Ltd’s state-of-the-art Insect Quarantine Unit nears completion for an early 2026 launch following multi-million-pound investment. The campus is now part of a new bio-industrial cluster between York & North Yorkshire and Tees Valley Combined Authorities, strengthening the North’s position as a hub for innovation. Retrofitting existing space remains a key trend as new lab construction costs soar. Insider Media

🥪 Subway Gets 1-Star Rating; The Subway at York Designer Outlet received a one-star food hygiene rating after inspectors visited on November 21st, meaning “major improvement necessary.” Concerns flagged include hygienic food handling (improvement necessary), cleanliness of facilities (improvement necessary), and management of food safety (major improvement necessary). The venue ranks 658 out of 775 restaurants in York on Tripadvisor. Subway did not respond to requests for comment.

🏛️ REGIONAL

🚉 Scarborough Station Revamp Concerns; Fresh concerns have been raised about drop-off spaces in Scarborough’s £6.68m Station Gateway project. Town councillors said residents need adequate drop-off provision, with current plans showing just four taxi spaces, three disabled spaces, and two general drop-off spots. The project, funded by Government’s Local Regeneration Fund, aims to create a more welcoming gateway with outdoor seating, resurfaced footpaths, tree planting, and enhanced accessible parking. Scarborough Town Council supports the investment but wants clarifications on vehicle access. York Press

🎨 ARTS & CULTURE

🎸 Rock Royalty Heads To Scarborough; Hollywood Vampires – featuring Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen – will headline Scarborough Open Air Theatre on Saturday, August 15th. Their first live shows in nearly three years will feature classics from The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Motörhead alongside Alice Cooper and Aerosmith hits. Special guests The Damned join them. Tickets on sale Friday, January 23rd at 10am via Ticketmaster. After selling out in 2023, this promises to be one of summer’s hottest tickets. YorkMix

🎭 Mikron Theatre Tours The Wolds; East Riding Libraries and Mikron Theatre Company are bringing “Top of the Wold” to venues across the region starting in March. The production tells the story of mobile libraries and the communities they serve, featuring original music performed by four actor-musicians. Set in the East Riding with themes from across the region, it follows extensive research including trips on mobile library routes. Full venue list and tickets at bridspa.com.

🎨 Acomb Art Workshops This Week; Art Of Protest is hosting free street art workshops as part of plans to create eight new murals in Acomb. Sessions at Acomb Explore Library: Wednesday 22nd January (5:30-6:30pm and 6:30-7:30pm) and Friday 24th January. Book at Art Of Protest’s website. The team will also visit six local schools to gather input from young people. It follows last year’s stunning “Return Of The Oaks” mural on Front Street, leading to this summer’s Acomb Creative Community Festival (3-5 July). YorkMix

🎪 Chocfest Moves To Fulford; York’s annual juggling convention and chocolate cake competition Chocfest returns to a fabulous new venue – Fulford School – on Saturday, January 24th. Free tea and coffee until 7pm (bring your own mug), with plenty of space for juggling and chocolate indulgence. The event runs all day with juggling workshops and the famous cake competition. Chocfest.net

🎹 Station Piano Delights Commuters; A public piano has been installed in York Station, bringing joy to travelers and raising awareness for music education. The collaboration between Richard Shephard Music Foundation, LNER, and Piano Equals has already seen impromptu performances from Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata to indie tunes. RSMF has taught over 8,685 children weekly music lessons this year. YorkMix

“There’s always someone on the piano,” said LNER’s James Downey. “It puts a big smile on your face.”

📌 WHAT’S ON THIS WEEKEND

SATURDAY (TOMORROW):

🎭 The Woman in Black - Final Performance; The West End’s longest-running thriller concludes its York run with final shows at 2:30pm matinee and 7:30pm evening performance. Grand Opera House, Cumberland Street. Tickets

💷 York Stamp & Coin Fair; Running since the 1980s, this fair attracts leading stamp, postal history, coin, banknote and medal dealers from around the world. Browse, purchase, or get professional valuations of your own collections. Specialist society meetings welcome all. Saturday 10am-3:30pm. The Grandstand, York Racecourse. More Info

🎉 Bongo’s Bingo
The award-winning night out combines bingo with a mesmeric live show packed with bizarre and hilarious moments. Dance-offs, rave rounds, and weird and wonderful prizes create a night of madness, mayhem and sheer joy. Saturday 7:30pm. York Barbican, Paragon Street. More Info

🐑 Farm for a Fiver Weekend; Perfect winter family day out at just £5 per person! Meet friendly animals, small animal petting, outdoor play, barrel rides, mini train rides, and hot food available. Saturday & Sunday from 10am. Monk Park Farm, Green Lane, Thirsk (25 minutes from York). More Info

SUNDAY:

😂 Sue Perkins: The Eternal Shame; Bake-Off Sue’s first live stand-up show in over a decade! A hilarious treatise on stigma, humiliation, and misunderstanding – from pituitary gland disasters on live TV to those infamous hoover attachment photos. Full of surprises from a career in the spotlight. Sunday 7:30pm. Grand Opera House, Cumberland Street. More Info

🎸 Grace Petrie; Protest singer Grace Petrie delivers a feel-good show after 15 politically disastrous years of leftwing anthems. “Depressed by fascism, misogyny and eco-destruction? Sounds like YOUR climate needs a change!” Sunday 7:30pm. The Crescent York, 8 The Crescent. Updates

That’s your lot for this weekend! Whether you’re browsing stamps at the Racecourse, laughing at Sue Perkins, or just staying in with a cuppa while 1,800 mad runners tackle 13.1 miles – enjoy your weekend.

Got a story tip or news we’ve missed? Hit reply – we read every message.

Have a grand weekend, X

William