THE YORK BRIEF - WEEKEND WRAP UP ⏰ October 24 - 25, 2026

Morning, York, and welcome to the weekend. Storm Boelo's yellow wind warning now covers the whole city, attractions are shutting on Sunday and most trains out of York are buses this weekend, so it's a good one for staying local. Also in your Wrap: York City's sold-out showdown with Port Vale, a sweet new look in King's Square, and why one North Yorkshire library user is refusing to go into "hedgehog mode".

🌬️ Storm Boelo: wind warning now covers York, and Sunday closures pile up

The Met Office has widened its Storm Boelo yellow wind warning, which now covers York and the whole of North Yorkshire (right down to Sheffield) from midday today (Saturday 24 October) until 9pm on Sunday. Earlier forecasts had only the far north of the county in the firing line. Gusts of 55–65mph are expected widely, and up to 70–80mph on exposed coasts, with rain on Saturday and possible showers on Sunday. The Met Office warns of possible danger from flying debris, tiles and branches coming down, road, rail and bridge disruption, and power cuts that could knock out mobile signal. Several attractions have already called off Sunday: the Yorkshire Museum and Museum Gardens are closed (pre-booked visitors will be contacted), as are Beningbrough Hall (including its car park and parkland), Piglets Adventure Farm, Nunnington Hall, Mother Shipton's Cave and Whitby Abbey. Illuminated Whitby Abbey is off all weekend and Scarborough's Moonlight on the Lake event has been cancelled, with refunds for ticket holders. If you've got plans, check before you set off, and tie down the trampoline.

👉 Read more: YorkMix — warning now covers York · YorkMix — events postponed and attractions closed

🔑 The Brief stays free because members chip in. Fancy being one? Founding Members pay £29.99 a year, for life, until 31 December →

🏛️ POLITICS & COUNCIL

🚗 Osbaldwick and Naburn parking bans decided

Three of four proposed parking restrictions in Osbaldwick were approved by the council's transport executive member, Cllr Kate Ravilious, on Thursday, despite 20 objections and a petition signed by 541 people. Double yellows go in at the Murton Way junction with Beckett Drive, lighter restrictions at Osbaldwick Lane (residents, tradespeople and Blue Badge holders can still park for up to three hours, with exemptions for weddings and funerals at St Thomas' Church), and a clearway on the 60mph stretch of Murton Way up to the A64. Plans for double yellows along Osbaldwick Link Road were shelved. In Naburn, double yellows are coming to Front Street near the York Road junction, after near misses were reported, though one objector fears "parking wars between neighbours".

👉 Read more: York Press — Osbaldwick · York Press — Naburn

☕ 30 warm spaces named for this winter

City of York Council has handed out £41,920 to 30 buildings that will offer somewhere warm to go this winter, with food, drink, company and support. They range from St Sampson's Centre on Church Street (a six-day-a-week pay-as-you-feel café) and The Gateway Centre in Acomb to Foxwood Community Centre, St Hilda's in Tang Hall and Fulford Social Hall. A council report says the aim is to reduce social isolation, help with the cost of living and improve people's health and wellbeing. The full list is worth bookmarking for anyone you know who might need it.

👉 Read the full story at York Press

⚰️ MP takes Poppleton mortuary fight to the Health Secretary

York Central MP Rachael Maskell has asked the government to help stop a planned 700-body mortuary at Nether Poppleton's business park, which Pure Cremation won planning permission for last month. Raising it in the Commons, she warned of concerns about "mass storage facilities" and asked ministers to meet her and funeral directors. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said ministers would "certainly be happy to meet" and that new regulation was needed. Pure Cremation's plans describe a "low key, discreet operation"; YorkMix says the firm hadn't yet responded to the MP's comments.

👉 Read the full story at YorkMix

⚽ SPORT

York City v Port Vale: a sell-out at the LNER

York City host Port Vale at a sold-out LNER Community Stadium today (Saturday, 3pm), looking to end a run of three 1-1 draws. Scott Lindsey says it "would be madness" not to freshen things up after a run of Saturday–Tuesday fixtures. Title-winning striker Josh Stones is back in training but today is "probably too soon", with Lindsey hoping he could be ready for Barnet next. Meanwhile, Lindsey reckons 21-year-old centre-back Zak Johnson "could go on to the top level", and Johnson says City, currently sixth, want to be "in that top three". Hold on to your hats in the stands.

👉 Read more: York Press — team news · York Press — Zak Johnson

York Vikings set the pace in table tennis

The York Table Tennis Winter League is three weeks in after a restructure into five divisions. York Vikings have won all three of their Division One matches, including a 7-3 win over York RI A, while last season's top two, Coneysthorpe and York RI A, drew 5-5.

👉 Read the full story at York Press

⚖️ CRIME & COURTS

Man arrested after alleged rape in Walmgate

North Yorkshire Police are investigating an alleged rape near the city walls in Walmgate at about 10.45pm on Thursday (22 October). A man in his 40s was arrested at the scene and has been released on conditional bail. The woman, also in her 40s, is being supported by specialist agencies. Anyone who was in the area is asked to call 101 for York CID, quoting 12260208195, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

👉 Read the full story at York Press

Woman banned from York city centre after attacking seven people

Sarah Bycroft, 48, of Finsbury Street, South Bank, has been banned from the area within the city walls for a year after admitting assaulting five police officers and two men, including a street ranger, as well as theft and breaching a community order. The court heard it began when she was challenged over stealing sandwiches worth £23.40 from Marks and Spencer on Pavement. She was given a 14-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months, with six months' alcohol treatment.

👉 Read the full story at York Press

Whisky shop theft appeal

Police have released a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to after a theft at Royal Mile Whiskies on Coney Street on Tuesday 6 October. Recognise him? Email PC Bell at joanne.bell@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting 12260196711.

👉 Read the full story at York Press

🚗 TRAVEL

🚆 York station at a near standstill this weekend

Only the Scarborough and Bridlington lines are running from York this weekend, with rail replacement buses on every other route. Network Rail is renewing almost 2.6km of track between York and the Colton, Holgate and Skelton junctions and upgrading overhead lines across the station's platforms, and the same happens next weekend (31 October–1 November). On top of that, there are no York–Leeds trains at all until Sunday 1 November while the Church Fenton bridge is replaced. LNER buses run between Doncaster and Darlington, CrossCountry's Leeds–Darlington buses won't call at York, there's no Grand Central service, and TransPennine trains between York and Scarborough are unaffected. Network Rail's advice: only bring luggage you can carry comfortably, and check your journey first.

👉 Read more: York Press · YorkMix — operator by operator

🚑 Rough roads: A19 crash and Tadcaster junction worries

On Thursday evening a car hit the central reservation of the A19 near Thirsk, between Jeater Houses and Knayton, crossed the opposite carriageway and ended up in a ditch. The driver was taken to hospital by ambulance. Near Tadcaster, two people were taken to hospital after a crash on Sunday at the Toulston Lane junction with Rudgate, where 16-year-old Eleanor Hague died last December. North Yorkshire Council says a 30mph limit is planned there early next year, and police are investigating.

👉 Read more: YorkMix — A19 · York Press — Tadcaster

🌊 ENVIRONMENT

🌧️ Flash floods hit Scarborough

Police told people to stay away from Scarborough town centre on Friday evening after flash flooding left cars stranded. Manor Road, Scalby Road, Valley Road, Valley Bridge, Filey Road and Ramshill Road were among the streets affected, and that was before Storm Boelo had even arrived. Heading to the coast this weekend? Maybe don't.

👉 Read the full story at YorkMix

🔥 Mayor: "much better place" to fight the next big moorland fire

York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith says the region is far better prepared for a wildfire on the scale of last year's Fylingdales blaze. Speaking at a national wildfire summit, he welcomed government plans to fit RAF Chinooks and A400M aircraft with firefighting kit, up to £45 million for wildfire response and £25 million for peatland restoration. Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume is still pushing for compensation for farms and businesses hit by such fires.

👉 Read the full story at York Press

🎭 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

👠 Last chance for Jamie at the Grand Opera House

York Stage's production of Everybody's Talking About Jamie, the first time the hit musical has been staged at the Grand Opera House, finishes its run today (Saturday 24 October).

👉 Read the full story at YorkMix

🎸 Cinderella goes punk at The Crescent

York's first alternative pantomime is coming to The Crescent on 15 and 16 December. Say Owt's punk Cinderella mixes music, theatre and poetry, with the ball held on the Knavesmire and a prince who advertises it on social media. Writer Henry Raby says they wanted "all the joyous, classic elements of a Panto… but make it punk". It's recommended for ages 14 and up; tickets are at sayowt.co.uk. Oh yes it is.

👉 Read the full story at York Press

💼 BUSINESS & RETAIL

🍫 York's Chocolate Story unwraps a new look

The King's Square attraction reopened its shop and café on Friday after the biggest investment in its 14-year history, a six-figure sum from operator Continuum Attractions. The frontage now features the city's four chocolate-making families (Rowntree, Terry, Tuke and Craven), and there's a first dedicated hot chocolate bar where you can pick your own flavours and toppings. The guided tours are unchanged. General manager Stuart Wood says the aim is to put York's chocolate pioneers "back at the heart" of the attraction. A storm-proof plan for Saturday afternoon, if ever there was one.

👉 Read more: YorkMix · York Press

☕ York Station's Coffee Room to become Café Local

Council planners have approved a refurbishment of the café unit between platforms seven and nine at York Station, which will be rebranded as Café Local for a new tenant. Officers found no harm to the Grade II*-listed station: expect new signs, furniture and fittings, but the same size of unit.

👉 Read the full story at York Press

🦷 Clifton Moor dental business liquidated owing £400,000

Biju Krishnan Consulting Ltd, based at Avalon Court in Clifton Moor, entered creditors' voluntary liquidation on 25 September, with a shortfall of about £401,784, most of it owed to HMRC. The nearby York Dental Practice on Amy Johnson Way is a separate business and isn't affected.

👉 Read the full story at York Press

🐟 ONLY IN WHITBY

🚽 The £20,000 loo bill row

Whitby Town Council says almost £20,000 in water charges for the Market Place public toilets was wrongly billed to it, after a specialist audit of old water bills and meter readings. It's sending North Yorkshire Council an invoice for £19,562. North Yorkshire Council says discussions are continuing and it wouldn't comment further. That's one expensive flush.

👉 Read the full story at York Press

🗓️ WHAT'S ON IN YORK THIS WEEKEND

With Storm Boelo about, check with venues before you head out.

🍺 Yorktoberfest has its final day in the Big Top at York Racecourse today (Saturday), with sessions at 1pm and 7pm.

🎲 York Board Games Convention runs at St Peter's Junior School on Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 5pm.

🪩 Day Club Halloween Special at Circuit on Clifford Street, Saturday 4–8pm, for over-30s who want to dance and still be home by 9pm.

⚽ The Crescent's first table football tournament starts at 3pm on Saturday, with partners drawn at random each match.

🏴‍☠️ The Comedy of Errors, York Shakespeare Project's piratical take, ends today at Theatre@41 on Monkgate (2.30pm and 7.30pm).

✨ Dare to Dream Jr, a Disney revue from PQA York students, is at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre tonight at 7.30pm.

😂 Troy Hawke brings Never Stop, Never Change! to York Barbican tonight at 7.30pm.

🎭 The Penelopiad, Margaret Atwood's take on The Odyssey starring Amelia Bullmore, runs at York Theatre Royal until 31 October.

🧟 Zombie Flashmob in St Helen's Square, Sunday at 2.30pm.

🎮 The Witcher in Concert plays York Barbican on Sunday at 7pm.

👻 Mad Alice's Ghost Train runs on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Pickering on Sunday (6.15pm and 8pm).

👉 Read more: YorkMix — what's on this weekend

🦔 AND FINALLY...

As the clocks go back this weekend, North Yorkshire's libraries are lending out a cure for the winter blues. They're the only library service in England loaning "Wintering Well" boxes, with 150 free kits that include a light therapy lamp, a guidebook for building a winter routine and an online course on seasonal affective disorder. Jenny Barrie, 73, who chairs Bedale Community Library, got early access and says it's "helping enormously". Her goal for the season: "I want to try harder to not go into hedgehog mode at four o'clock in the afternoon." She's thinking of late-afternoon swims and learning chess. We're with you, Jenny.

👉 Read the full story at BBC News