THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Weekend Wrap Up - January 10 - 11, 2026

Morning York!

Hope you're having a proper weekend. Snow's finally cleared off but don't get too comfy - Sunday's looking absolutely soaking. We've got some belting stories this week: a massive block of flats has hit the market for over six million quid, Bishopthorpe Road traders are up in arms about parking prices killing their businesses, and our beloved Blue Bell's been crowned the best pub in York (again). Plus the Knights have signed an Aussie prop who could be a right game-changer. Grab yourself a brew and let's crack on...

WEEKEND WEATHER

☀️ Saturday 10th January: Dry but nippy - highs of 4°C, dropping to 0°C overnight. Watch out for icy patches, especially first thing. The yellow weather warning expired this morning, so at least we’re done with the snow for now.

🌧️ Sunday 11th January: Milder at 10°C but proper wet - expect 6.2mm of rain with 90% chance of precipitation throughout the day. Lows of -2°C overnight, so wrap up warm. Not ideal for a Sunday stroll, that.
(MET Office)

📰 NEWS

🏢 Prime City Centre Flats on Market for £6.25m; A fully-let block of 28 apartments right next to York’s city walls is up for grabs - and it’s pulling in nearly £390k a year in rent. McQuades Court on Foss Islands Road includes everything from two-bed flats to holiday lets, and the seller is calling it “a rare opportunity” in one of the UK’s tightest rental markets.

🚗 Parking Crisis Hits Bishopthorpe Road; Remember when parking cost 80p? Those were the days. Now it’s £3/hour and Bishopthorpe Road’s paying the price - footfall’s crashed 23% and traders are fuming. Arup’s been called in to figure out what went wrong, and let’s just say the original plan to charge nearly a fiver was even more mental.

🚙 Mayor Backs Pavement Parking Ban; If you’ve ever had to swerve into the road because someone’s parked their motor on the pavement, this one’s for you. Mayor David Skaith’s backing new powers to ban pavement parking across York and North Yorkshire - making life easier for wheelchair users, parents with pushchairs, and anyone fed up with obstacle courses on footpaths.

“Children walking to school, parents with pushchairs and people with disabilities are all too often forced into the road by vehicles blocking pavements. That’s why I welcome this announcement, which will give us the powers we need to return pavements to the people they are meant for.”

📚 Acomb Library’s Stunning £400k Transformation; Acomb Library’s had a right proper glow-up - we’re talking £390k worth of improvements funded by the council and Arts Council. Bigger kids’ section, expanded café, new study spaces, the lot. It’s gone from tired to stunning, and residents are already loving it.

🍺 Blue Bell Named York’s Best Pub; The Blue Bell’s done it again - York CAMRA’s crowned the tiny Fossgate boozer as Pub of the Year 2025, beating 450+ rivals. The interior hasn’t changed since 1903 (seriously), they ban groups when it’s busy, and the real ales are absolutely spot on. If you can squeeze in, it’s like stepping into a time machine.

🏡 House Prices Down, Rents Up; York house prices have dipped 1.9% to £304,000, but if you’re renting? You’re paying 3.9% more at £1,145/month. Matthew Hendry from Naish Estate Agents reckons landlords are selling up before new tenancy rules kick in, which explains why there are more properties on the market but fewer to rent. Classic York housing market madness.

🤸 £3 Trampoline Sessions for Charity; Monday January 19th - mark your calendars. Oxygen York’s doing £3 bounce sessions for Blue Monday with all proceeds going to Barnardo’s. Normal prices are way higher, so this is a proper bargain if you’ve got kids bouncing off the walls.

🍷 Vale Vineyard Celebrates Success; One of Britain’s most northerly commercial vineyards is in the Vale of York - and they’ve just won WineGB awards to prove they’re doing something right. Dunesforde Vineyard in Upper Dunsforth is producing boutique wines this far north, which is pretty impressive when you think about it.

🚗 Revised Plans for A1 Services; That controversial £50m motorway services at A1 Selby Fork? Roadchef’s back with updated plans - longer HGV bays, rotated car park, the works. It’s still a green belt development though, so expect the arguments to continue. YorkMix analysis

💼 Benenden Health CEO at Networking Lunch; Fancy networking with the boss of York’s biggest healthcare mutual? Tom Woolgrove, CEO of Benenden Health (880,000+ members nationwide, all run from York), is headlining TheBusinessDesk.com’s lunch on February 18th. Get the details at TheBusinessDesk

🐴 REGIONAL

🐴 Malton Equine Hospital Saves Pregnant Pony; This one’s a tearjerker with a happy ending. A seven-year-old Miniature Shetland called Flair arrived at Rainbow Equine Hospital in Malton with life-threatening sepsis so severe it spread to her eyes. The vets gave her low odds, but after round-the-clock care, both Flair and her unborn foal survived. One for York horse owners who rely on this facility.

🏥 Boroughbridge Care Home Invites Public to Seminar; Boroughbridge Manor Care Home’s hosting a public seminar for families exploring care options - worth knowing about if you’re looking at facilities in the wider York area.

🏉 SPORT

🏉 York Knights Sign Sydney Prop; The Knights have pulled off a proper coup - Xavier Va’a, a 22-year-old prop who made his NRL debut for Sydney Roosters in 2024 and captained Queensland U-19s, is coming to York on a 2-year deal. Coach Mark Applegarth reckons he’ll “add depth and punch to the pack.” Can’t wait to see him in action.

⚽ Chadwick Leaves for Gateshead; Billy Chadwick’s York City career is done - the 25-year-old attacker’s completed a permanent move to National League rivals Gateshead after 40+ appearances and four goals for the Minstermen. He’s reuniting with manager Rob Elliot, who he worked with before.

🏉 Redmove Sponsors York RLFC; York estate agency Redmove’s become main kit sponsor for York RLFC in 2026 - perfect timing as they celebrate 20 years as a York family business. Director Michael Redmond says backing the club’s Super League ambitions is something “the whole city can be proud of.” Property Industry Eye coverage

🎉 WHAT’S ON THIS WEEKEND

🧗 York Residents Festival Pre-Booking - Free rock climbing at Brimham Rocks, spa upgrades at Middlethorpe, mini golf at Hole In Wand - pre-booking opened Friday at noon so grab your spots while you can. York Press coverage

🎭 Free Museum Entry - York residents get free access to Yorkshire Museum, York Art Gallery, and York Castle Museum all weekend with valid York Card: York Press

🍫 York’s Chocolate Story - 25% off classic guided tours plus 200 free walk-in tickets across Saturday and Sunday (100 each day)

Right then, that’s your lot for this weekend! Big stories all round. Get out there today while it’s dry, because Sunday’s looking like a proper washout. And if you’ve got kids climbing the walls, remember those £3 trampoline sessions on Monday - bargain for a good cause.

Have a brilliant weekend York, and stay safe out there.