THE YORK BRIEF⏰Monday, 29th December 2025

🌤️ GOOD MORNING, YORK

Morning. That quiet stretch between Christmas and New Year's is here - the city is a little slower, the air a little sharper. As York reflects on a bruising year for the high street, there are still stories of resilience, culture and community worth pausing for. But amid the closures and rising costs, there are moments worth celebrating.

❄️ WEATHER UPDATE

Today stays cold and mostly dry, with highs around 6°C and temperatures falling to 2°C overnight. A cold weather alert is in effect this evening, with conditions expected to worsen through the weekend. By Saturday night, temperatures could dip as low as -3°C, increasing risks for vulnerable people. But here’s the warning: a cold weather alert kicks in tonight, and by Saturday we’re looking at -3°C. MET Office

📖 HERITAGE & CULTURE

📜 Lost Farmers Weekly Poem Returns to Barmby Moor After 50 Years - This one’s lovely. A ‘lost’ poem penned by gothic author Ruth Pattison more than half-a-century ago has had a fortuitous homecoming to the very living room where she wrote it in Barmby Moor near York. Janet Wager, an 80-year-old retired farmer from Devon, treasured Ruth’s poem ‘If’ - written in the style of Kipling’s famous work - for over fifty years after reading it in Farmers Weekly. She had it framed and hung in her farmhouse kitchen as “a handbook for a farmer’s wife.” When Janet learned Ruth had passed away in 2019, she contacted The York Press to find Ruth’s family. York Press

✨ Alistair Griffin’s Ignite Concerts Celebrate Show Successes - York singer-songwriter Alistair Griffin wrapped up December with not one but two successful Christmas concerts. His Ignite Concerts organised The Big Christmas Concert and Fairytale at York Minster, both curated and produced by the York-based musician. The shows offered contrasting but complementary ways to celebrate Christmas through live music - one bold, playful and communal, the other intimate, reflective and atmospheric.

York’s Town Crier Ben Fry dubbed Griffin “the king of Christmas,” and Griffin himself credits the success to teamwork: “These shows are a huge team effort - from the musicians to the production team - and I’m just grateful to be part of something that brings a bit of Christmas magic, fun and celebration to the city.”

🎤 Singer Bonnie Milne Hosts Magical Fundraiser for Palestine - Local singer Bonnie Milne hosted a fundraising concert in support of Palestine relief efforts, The York Press reports.

❄️ WEATHER & HEALTH

🥶 Cold Weather Warning: Temperatures Set to Drop to -3°C - Bundle up. A cold weather alert has been issued covering York and North Yorkshire, in effect from 8pm tonight (Sunday 28 December) until midday on Monday 5 January, YorkMix reports. Temperatures are set to plummet to -3°C by next Saturday night. The UK Health Security Agency’s yellow alert carries a matrix score of 9, meaning challenges keeping indoor temperatures at 18°C, increased risk to vulnerable people, a likely rise in deaths particularly among those aged 65 and over, and increased demand for health services.

💼 BUSINESS & HIGH STREET

📊 Business Rates and Parking Hikes Threaten York High Street -The numbers are stark. Small shops in the Shambles saw business rates almost triple overnight - from around £2,000 to £5,500 annually when April rolled around, The Gazette & Herald reports. At the same time, parking fees jumped to £4.85-£5.30 an hour. The impact? BID data shows spending by York residents in the city centre dropped by £8 million compared to 2024 - a 5.7% fall. Phil Pinder, who chairs York Retail Forum, warns that many small shopkeepers will struggle. York Press

🏪 Shop Closures: York Stores That Have Closed in 2025 - And it shows. York’s high street has endured a turbulent year of closures, The Gazette & Herald reports. Sainsbury’s Foss Bank, a fixture since 1984, closed in January despite 1,000 people signing a petition to save it. P&S Hobbies and Models in Walmgate shut when the building was purchased for redevelopment. Kevin Clarkson closed Paul Stride children’s nursery retailer at Monks Cross after 43 years in York. Australian stationery brand Smiggle left Coney Street in June. Women’s shoe shop Moda in Pelle closed in November. WHSmith’s high street stores were rebranded as TGJones. One bright spot: Next closed its Coney Street store in November but reopened a week later in larger premises on Piccadilly.

🎁 WHAT’S OPENING

🏬 Four Exciting New Openings Coming to York in 2026 - Not everything’s closing. Four new attractions are opening in York next year, YorkMix reports. Topping & Company bookshop opens on Museum Street in spring 2026 - it’ll be the biggest independent bookshop in the UK, with over 75,000 titles plus an extensive year-round book festival programme. The Poetry Pharmacy, ‘part bookshop, part apothecary,’ opens at 20 Coney Street on 6 March 2026. St Leonard’s Hospice is opening a massive 16,000 sq ft retail development at Clifton Moor Retail Park in May 2026. And the York Ice Village debuts 7-8 February 2026 as a new addition to the annual York Ice Trail.

🏗️ Floors Above Prominent York Store to Become Eight Flats - Eight apartments are set to be created in the floors above Oliver Bonas at 1 King’s Square - the former Boots building - YorkMix reports. The three floors above the shop are described as “currently vacant and partially derelict” in planning documents. Building owners K Square 2 LLP want to create five one-bed apartments and three two-bed apartments. The Grade II listed building would get minimal external changes, with access via the existing entrance on Goodramgate.

🏗️ PROPERTY

🏠 Works Start at the Persimmon Homes Hull Road Site in 2026 - Construction work will begin in 2026 at Persimmon Homes’ Hull Road development, The York Press reports.

💰 Scarcroft Lane New Build Home on Sale for £750,000 - A new build home on Scarcroft Lane has hit the market with a price tag of £750,000, The York Press reports.

🚂 TRANSPORT

⚠️ Weeks of Rail Disruption Begin Near York - Brace yourself if you’re commuting. Train travellers face major disruption for the next few weeks due to the Transpennine Route Upgrade, YorkMix reports. Until 25 January, there’ll be amended services between Leeds and York affecting CrossCountry, Northern and TransPennine Express passengers. Some services will be cancelled, and there’ll be lots of rail replacement buses. Most trains won’t call at Wakefield Westgate or Leeds. York Press

The details: Until 11:30am today (29 December), no trains between Leeds, York and Selby. From 11:30am today until 2 January, no trains between Micklefield and York. From 3 January to 25 January, no trains between Micklefield and York. All require rail replacement buses.

🏛️ CIVIC & POLITICS

🗣️ Rachael Maskell MP Comments on Alaa Abd El-Fattah Controversy - York Central MP Rachael Maskell has made comments regarding the ongoing controversy surrounding jailed British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah, The York Press reports.

🎯 Castle Eye York Plans for Clifford’s Tower Area - Plans are being developed for the ‘Castle Eye’ around Clifford’s Tower area, potentially bringing new developments to one of York’s most historically significant sites, The York Press reports | City of York Council

⛪ HERITAGE

🎨 Barley Studio Completes St Lawrence Church Restoration - Barley Studio has completed restoration work at St Lawrence Church, preserving another piece of York’s architectural heritage, The York Press reports.

📻 MEDIA

📡 YO1 Radio Looks Back at 2025 and Ahead to 2026 - YO1 Radio is reflecting on a successful 2025 and looking forward to what 2026 brings for York’s local station, The York Press reports.

🐔 HEALTH & SAFETY

🦅 Avian Flu Found in Large Commercial Poultry Flock Near York - This is serious. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) was confirmed on Christmas Eve in a large commercial poultry flock near York at Elvington, the UK Government reports. A 3km protection zone has been declared where all birds must be housed, and a 10km surveillance zone where poultry movements must be recorded. All poultry on the infected premises are being humanely culled to prevent spread.

⚽ SPORT

🎯 Stuart Maynard Targets Winning Return as York City Face Altrincham - York City manager Stuart Maynard is targeting a winning return when the Minstermen face Altrincham, The York Press reports | Yahoo Sports UK

⚽ Tadcaster Albion End 2025 with 2-0 Win Over Knaresborough Town - Tadcaster Albion wrapped up 2025 in style with a convincing 2-0 victory over Knaresborough Town, Gazette Herald reports.

⚽ Selby Town Show Second-Half Fight to Dispatch Armthorpe - Selby Town came from behind to see off Armthorpe with a strong second-half performance, The York Press reports. | Amrthope Welfare

As Christmas Eve arrives tomorrow, the city edges closer to a brief pause - a moment to gather, reflect and keep warm. However you’re spending it, take care of yourself and those around you. We’ll be back with you as York steps into the final days of the year.