THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Wednesday, 28 October 2026

Morning, York. It's Budget day, and the city council has just put a number on its own money worries: a £32.3 million hole. Also today: new stove rules (and £300 fines) arrive on Sunday, a date for the new Lidl, The Crescent's year-long wait over the hotel next door, and a red-card nightmare for York City at Barnet.

💷 York council faces a £32.3m budget black hole

City of York Council is forecasting a £32.3 million gap in its budget between 2027 and 2030, and may go to the Government for help balancing the books. A report from finance director Debbie Mitchell warns of "some of the most significant financial challenges we have ever experienced", says £18.1 million of savings are needed next financial year alone, and adds that without them the council "may" have to seek exceptional financial support "to avoid the risk of a Section 114 notice", which would mean halting all non-essential spending. Rising adult social care costs (46.5% of the budget), inflation, borrowing and changes to national funding are blamed, and the council says it already gets £7.8 million less because York's council tax is below the level the Government assumes: the Band D charge of £1,817 is 8.1% under it. Around £40 million has been saved in the last six years, and the options listed include major restructuring and cutting or stopping some services. Council leader Claire Douglas called it "a very significant and a very serious situation that's been many years in the making", while Lib Dem opposition leader Nigel Ayre said the report "seeks permission to go cap in hand to Government" and Conservative group leader Chris Steward warned against kicking the can down the road. Decisions on council tax will come next year, and the council's executive gets a finances update on Tuesday 3 November.

👉 Read more: York Press · BBC News · YorkMix / LDRS

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📰 NEWS

🔥 New stove rules from Sunday, with £300 fines for repeat offenders

From Sunday (1 November) the whole of York becomes a Smoke Control Area, replacing the patchwork of orders that already covers about 80% of households. Stoves and open fires aren't banned, but open fires must use authorised smokeless fuel, wood can only be burned in a Defra-approved stove, it should be dry and seasoned (look for the "Ready to Burn" logo), and chimneys mustn't keep pouring out smoke for more than 15 minutes after a fire is lit. The council says it will start by helping people understand the rules, but repeat offenders could face fines of up to £300. Barbecues, chimineas, fire pits and bonfires aren't covered, so Bonfire Night is safe.

👉 Read more: City of York Council · York Press · YorkMix

🛒 New Lidl at Clifton Moor opens next Thursday

York's fourth Lidl opens at 8am on Thursday 5 November in the former Food Warehouse on Hurricane Way, Clifton Moor Retail Park, after a ribbon-cutting with the Mayor of York. It has created up to 40 jobs, with a focus on hiring local people, and has a 1,306 square metre shop floor with an in-store bakery and, of course, a Middle of Lidl aisle. Opening hours will be 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Early shoppers on opening day can expect free food samples and offers on the Lidl Plus app.

👉 Read more: YorkMix · York Press

🎸 The Crescent still waiting on the hotel plans next door

Ed Leyland, who has run The Crescent on Gillygate with his brother Bob since 2015, says he has spent more than a year watching a planning application to turn the former malt house next door into 20 hotel rooms, homes and commercial space. He fears noise complaints from new neighbours could threaten the venue's future, and 872 people have objected. The developers, Crescent Developments (York) Ltd, say the scheme would have "no adverse impact" on the venue. The council has given the application two extensions, the latest while it waits for a noise assessment. "It's been more than a year now and we're still waiting for a decision," Ed said.

👉 Read the full story at the York Press

🎹 Gear4music sales up, but the new warehouse bites into profits

York's Gear4music took £85.4 million in the six months to 30 September, up 6% on last year, with UK sales up 3% to £51 million and Europe and the rest of the world up 11% to £34.4 million. Gross profit rose to £23.6 million, but EBITDA (a measure of profit) is expected to dip to £5.7 million from £6.5 million because of the costs of setting up its new automated UK warehouse. The firm says it is "well prepared" for the busy Christmas period and expects the full year to meet market expectations. Full interim results are due on 17 November.

👉 Read the full story at the York Press

🚲 Appeal after a child's bike is taken from a Huntington Road cycle rack

Police have released a CCTV image after a man used "brute force" to remove a child's pedal bike from a cycle rack on Huntington Road at 9.15am on Wednesday 14 October. If you recognise him, email mark.burrows@northyorkshire.police.uk, call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting reference 12260202763.

👉 Read more: York Press · YorkMix

🕊️ Coroner appeals for the family of Stephen Loft

Stephen Loft, 70, was found dead at his home in York on Thursday 22 October. Police say there are no suspicious circumstances. The coroner is trying to trace his next of kin, and anyone who can help is asked to email coroner@northyorkshire.police.uk.

👉 Read more: York Press · YorkMix

🚗 Slow going on the A64 and A1079

Drivers heading west on the A64 near Tadcaster hit delays yesterday evening (Tuesday) after emergency services were called, with reports of a medical emergency on a Coastliner bus, although that hadn't been confirmed. Earlier, the AA reported queues both ways on the A1079 at the B1247 The Balk turn-off for Pocklington, in the roadworks there.

👉 Read more: YorkMix — A64 · York Press — A64 · York Press — A1079

🏙️ AROUND THE CITY

📚 A horror bookshop opens on Goodramgate, just in time for Ghost Week

Horrifically Good Books, the second shop from the team behind Criminally Good Books, opened yesterday (Tuesday 27 October) at 60 Goodramgate, with a queue out the door. It spreads across two floors, from gothic classics and folk horror to YA, translated and small-press titles, and the bigger premises mean room for a packing area for online orders and a subscription service expected some time in the new year. It's open 10am to 8pm this week for Ghost Week, then 10am to 6pm every day. The most haunted city in the UK finally has the bookshop it deserves.

👉 Read the full story at YorkMix

🏆 Swinegate post-production firm wins a TV award

Motion Post Production, based at 24 Swinegate, was part of the team that won the Professional Excellence in Post Production award at the Royal Television Society Yorkshire Awards for CBBC comedy High Hoops, made by Can Can Productions. "Being based in York has never stopped us from working on ambitious productions for national broadcasters," the team said.

👉 Read the full story at the York Press

🎬 160 young filmmakers get a big-screen moment

More than 160 young people aged 11 to 16 have made eight original films, from documentary to sci-fi, through Aesthetica's Filmmaking in Schools and Young Filmmakers Summer School programmes, now in their third year. The films will be screened at the Yorkshire Museum on Sunday 8 November, followed by a reception at Thor's Tipi.

👉 Read the full story at the York Press

⚽ SPORT

Two red cards and a 3-1 defeat at Barnet

York City led at The Hive last night when Arthur Read curled a stunning shot into the top corner on 37 minutes, but Barnet levelled through Tshimanga and took over after Hiram Boateng was sent off for a second yellow card, given when he tried to take a quick free kick and was blocked by Tshimanga. Jake Reeves and substitute Damola Ajayi made it 3-1. City players were shown as many as nine yellow cards, and head coach Scott Lindsey was sent off after the final whistle. His assistant Gary Elphick, who faced the press instead, was furious with referee Ben Toner's performance: "I'm emotional right now, I'm raging." It's only City's third league defeat of the season and they stay fifth, with more than 1,000 fans having made the trip. Next up: Grimsby away on Saturday (31 October, 12.30pm).

👉 Read more: York Press — match report · York Press — Elphick

Charlie McArthur heads to Woking on loan

City centre-back Charlie McArthur, 21, who joined from Newcastle United's academy in the summer, has gone on loan to National League Woking. The Scotland Under-21 international had played just 19 minutes of League Two football for York.

👉 Read the full story at the York Press

York City Ladies find a permanent home in Selby

York City Ladies will play at Selby Town's Fairfax Plant Hire Stadium for the foreseeable future, where they've played most of their home games this season. The Minsterbelles are fifth in FA Women's National League Division One North with 10 points from seven games, and tonight (Wednesday) they take on league leaders Leeds United at Garforth Town's Bannister Prentice Stadium (7.45pm).

👉 Read the full story at the York Press

York RUFC climb four places with a win at Sandal

Playing into Storm Boelo's wind in the first half, York RUFC beat Sandal 36-10 in a crucial bottom-of-the-table clash, taking a five-point haul. Will Fordy scored two tries and Reece Dean kicked his share of the points. Next week they're back at Clifton Park to face Hull.

👉 Read the full story at the York Press

🎭 CULTURE

🎶 Shed Seven drop a new single as the stadium show sells out

Shed Seven have released Let The Good Times Roll, the latest track from their self-titled seventh album, out on 8 January 2027 via Cooking Vinyl. Their homecoming at the 14,000-capacity LNER Community Stadium on 29 May 2027 has now sold out. There's a special "York City" CD edition of the album, with proceeds going to the York City Foundation, and a fan zone stage for up-and-coming York acts before the main show.

👉 Read the full story at the York Press

🦇 Ozzy's farewell gig hits the big screen at Vue York

Ozzy & Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning, the film of the Villa Park concert held 17 days before Ozzy Osbourne's death, opens at Vue York today (Wednesday 28 October).

👉 Read the full story at the York Press

⛪ Poor Clare comes to Theatre@41

Black Treacle Theatre stages Chiara Atik's award-winning play Poor Clare, a witty retelling of the early life of St Clare of Assisi, at Theatre@41 on Monkgate from Tuesday 3 to Saturday 7 November, nightly at 7.30pm with a 2.30pm Saturday matinee.

👉 Read the full story at the York Press

📅 THIS WEEK IN YORK

👻 The Little Ghost Hunt has its last night tonight (Wednesday), 6pm to 8pm, and York Ghost Week runs until Sunday 1 November.

🖤 The Addams Family Musical from Wharfemede Productions is at Theatre@41, Monkgate, until Saturday 31 October, at 7.30pm plus a 2.30pm Saturday matinee.

🔒 The Strongbox from York Actors Collective has its York premiere at the Theatre Royal Studio from tomorrow (Thursday 29) to Saturday 31 October.

🎟️ Ricky Gervais tickets for his York Barbican show go on sale on Friday 30 October at 10am.

🔥 New smoke rules start across York on Sunday 1 November.

🚌 No York–Leeds trains until Sunday 1 November while the Church Fenton bridge work goes on. Rail replacement buses run instead.

👉 Read more: YorkMix — Ghost Week · York Press — what's on · York Press — Ricky Gervais · York Press — no York–Leeds trains

🍫 AND FINALLY...

Keep your eyes peeled this half-term: York's Chocolate Story in King's Square has hidden 100 chocolate bars around the city, and one of them wins a year's supply of chocolate, delivered as 12 monthly hampers, plus a free guided tour. More than half of the 90g bars also hold vouchers for other prizes, including 25 free hot chocolates, 25 free Classic Guided Tours and five teddy bears. Clues to some of the hiding spots go up on the attraction's Instagram (@yorkschocstory), while the rest are down to sharp eyes. It's all to celebrate the attraction's newly refurbished shop and café, which now has its first dedicated hot chocolate bar. Willy Wonka, eat your heart out.

👉 Read the full story at the York Press