THE YORK BRIEF ⏰ Monday, March 9, 2026

Good morning, York 👋 Monday has arrived, and it hasn't come quietly. There's a gunman on the loose in Tang Hall after a car was shot up on Saturday night, a York lad just made four Britain's Got Talent judges drop their jaws, and our city has somehow produced both the UK's best chippy and the industry's most outstanding fish fryer in the same week. Not bad for a place that can't even agree on what to call the Shambles. Grab a brew, let's get into it. ☕

🚨 CRIME

🔫 Gunman fires into parked car in Tang Hall - suspect at large: A firearm was discharged into a parked vehicle on Starkey Crescent, Tang Hall, at around 9:25 pm on Saturday, 7 March. The unoccupied car sustained damage, and the suspect fled on foot. North Yorkshire Police say it was a targeted incident with no wider threat to the public, reference 12260041722. (Sources: ITV Calendar | Yorkshire Post | York Press)

🚌 York bus groper convicted and banned from the city - Darrell Green, 36, of Hartlepool, but a regular visitor to York, has been convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl on a No.1 First York bus after sitting next to her and ignoring her response of "too young for you." District Judge Orla Austin told him at York Magistrates' Court: "It is very clear from her body language she wanted nothing to do with you." Green received a 12-week suspended sentence, a 12-month ban from York, a seven-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and was placed on the sex offenders' register for seven years.

⚰️ Inquest opened into death of man at Bishopthorpe Road guest house - An inquest has been opened into the death of Craig Graham Ronald George Oates, 46, who was found unresponsive at the Diamonds Guest House on Bishopthorpe Road on 16 August 2025. The provisional cause of death is combined drug toxicity. North Yorkshire assistant coroner Catherine Devereux adjourned proceedings to a date to be fixed.

📰 NEWS

🎓 University of York launches £1 million fund to tackle poverty and housing crisis - The University of York has announced a new £1 million New Horizons Fund, a five-year research programme developed in partnership with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, targeting poverty, housing insecurity and mental health inequality across the region. Grants range from £3,000 to £150,000 and are open to researchers working on solutions that directly benefit disadvantaged communities.

🎖️ York St John revalidates MOD Gold Award - York St John University has had its Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award revalidated by the Ministry of Defence, the armed forces' highest badge of honour for supporting military personnel, reservists and veterans in the workplace.

MOD gold revalidation | York St John University | Nick Wood MSc FHEA

As a veteran myself I’m delighted to announce that we have been reevaluated for our ERS Gold award for another 5 years. Team York St. John University showing how we strive to have a positive impact in the communities we live in. The new Military Human On Demand CPD platform will be a game changer.

LinkedInNick Wood MSc FHEA

🏡 Historic New Earswick village facing 247-home development pressure - Concerns are growing over a proposed 247-home development that could alter the character of New Earswick, the historic garden village built by the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust. More than 21 formal objections have been lodged by residents and conservation groups who argue the scale is at odds with the village's heritage and design principles.

🌿 Appeal to save York's oldest nature reserve - A community campaign has been launched to save Severus Hill in Holgate, York's oldest nature reserve, with a bid deadline this summer. Campaigners are calling on residents and wildlife groups to act before the window closes.

🏫 The Mount Prep School, named Yorkshire Primary School of the Year - The Mount Prep School on Dalton Terrace, the prep arm of York's historic Mount School, whose alumni include Dame Judi Dench, has been named Yorkshire Primary School of the Year at the My Local Awards, determined entirely through public voting. Head of Prep Rachel Capper said the honour "comes at a very exciting time" following a recent campus refurbishment and the opening of a new dance studio. The school's bespoke Explore, Discover, Create curriculum was singled out by voters.

🗳️ York Youth Council elections draw record voter turnout - York Youth Council elections have seen a record number of votes cast this year, reflecting growing civic engagement among young people across the city.

📻 Archbishop of York joins BBC religious output panel - The Archbishop of York has taken part in a panel discussion examining the BBC's religious broadcasting output, weighing in on the role of faith programming in a changing media landscape.

🎨 Charles Bronson artwork sells at York Auction Centre - A piece of original artwork by notorious prisoner Charles Bronson, one of Britain's longest-serving inmates, has gone under the hammer at York Auction Centre, drawing significant interest from collectors.

💧 Yorkshire Water investing £3.3 million in network upgrades - Yorkshire Water has confirmed a £3.3 million investment in infrastructure upgrades across its network, aimed at improving reliability and reducing leakage for customers in York and across the region.

🏛️ "Call it Tat Gate, not Diagon Alley" - the Shambles rename debate - A fresh debate has erupted over what York's most famous medieval street should actually be called. Critics of the Harry Potter-fuelled "Diagon Alley" nickname are pushing back, with one commentator suggesting "Tat Gate" better reflects the souvenir-heavy reality of the Shambles today.

💰 York parents urged to check they're not missing £1,300 a year in Child Benefit - HMRC is urging families across York and the UK to check their eligibility for Child Benefit, with thousands of eligible parents still not claiming. Payments are currently worth £26.05 a week for a first child and £17.25 for each additional child - rising to £27 from April 2026 following a 3.8% inflation increase. For one child alone, that's around £1,354 a year. Eligible parents can claim quickly via the HMRC app or gov.uk. Claiming also unlocks National Insurance credits that protect your State Pension, even if you opt not to receive the payments themselves.

👥 COMMUNITY

🕌 500+ gather at York Mosque for Ramadan Iftar - More than 500 people came together at York Mosque on Bull Lane on Saturday, 7 March to break the Ramadan fast together, one of the final Iftars of the holy month. MP Rachael Maskell and the Lord Mayor of York were among those in attendance, reflecting the event's growing importance in York's civic calendar.

🍽️ FOOD & DRINK

🐟 Millers Fish & Chips owner honoured for Outstanding Contribution to the industry - David Miller, owner of Millers Fish and Chips in Haxby, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution prize at the National Fish and Chip Awards, dubbed the Oscars of the fish frying world. The award was given at the same ceremony attended by Millers fryer Abigail Barker, who was highly commended as Young Fish Fryer of the Year. David said he was "nearly in tears" receiving the honour, calling it "the pinnacle" of his career. Millers was first established in the Shambles in the 1940s. Miller's

🎨 ARTS & CULTURE

🎤 York singer stuns all four Britain's Got Talent judges - Finley Barrett-Carter, 20, a York busker, brought the house down at the Britain's Got Talent auditions held at Winter Gardens Blackpool on Saturday 7 March, wowing all four judges, including Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and KSI, with his rendition of Elvis's Burning Love. He's through to the next round, with the prize for the winner being £250,000 and a slot at the Royal Variety Performance.

🎃 WHAT'S ON

⚔️ Romans return to York - Eboracum Festival confirmed for May - The Eboracum Roman Festival is back for 2026, running 16–31 May with the flagship Living History Encampment taking place 23–24 May in the York Museum Gardens. Partners include the Yorkshire Museum, York Minster, York Archaeology, York Civic Trust and the University of York. If you've never seen a Roman legion march through the city walls, this is your year.

🎮 Mario Kart Live Tournament coming to York - with a live band - A Mario Kart live tournament is heading to The Basement at City Screen York on Friday 31 July 2026, complete with a live band playing the game's iconic soundtrack. Racer tickets are £15 and spectator tickets £10, and organiser Ryan Willis says half the tickets are already sold. Book fast.

🏃 SPORT

⚽ York City 3–1 Eastleigh - Kitching bags the club's 100th goal of the season: York City produced a commanding performance at the LNER Community Stadium on Saturday, beating Eastleigh 3–1. Michael Kitching opened the scoring in the 28th minute, the club's 100th goal across all competitions this season, before Femi Fagan-Walcott doubled the lead on 37 minutes and added a third on 58. Eastleigh pulled one back through Blair on 18 minutes but it was never enough.

🛍️ And to celebrate hitting that 100-goal landmark, York City are offering 50% off all travel, training and loungewear - online and in-store for a limited time only. Get in quick. (Source: @YorkCityFC)

🤝 York City exploring merger of men's and ladies' teams - York City FC are in discussions about uniting the men's and ladies' teams under one club structure, a move that would align them with the growing trend of fully integrated football clubs and potentially strengthen both setups.