Gig at cathedral by metal band Plague of Angels would be ‘outright insult’ to their faith, say parishioners
First there was a silent disco at Canterbury Cathedral. Then there was the “rave in the nave” in Peterborough.
But York Minster is taking it one step further by hosting a controversial metal band in what parishioners have called an “outright insult” to their faith.
Continue reading...Tommy Banks urges those who stole van packed with 2,500 pies to ‘do the right thing’ so food can go to people in need
A Michelin-starred chef has appealed to thieves who stole his van which had 2,500 pies inside to “do the right thing” and give them to people in need.
Tommy Banks, who owns two restaurants and a pub in North Yorkshire, announced on Instagram that his van carrying £25,000 worth of stock had been taken. The refrigerated vehicle was due to make a delivery to the chef’s pop-up pie stall at York Christmas Market, but staff found it had disappeared from Barker business park in Melmerby, near Ripon, on Monday morning.
Continue reading...For the Jewish community in York, as elsewhere, fears and distress over the war in Gaza haunt this year’s festival of light
On Thursday evening, the small progressive Jewish community in York will gather at Jewbury, the city’s medieval Jewish cemetery, to light memorial candles and say prayers for 150 people who died in a 12th-century pogrom at Clifford’s Tower.
The flames will then be used to light the eighth and final candle on menorahs, or special candelabra, brought to the ceremony by members of the community, marking the end of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of light that began last Thursday.
Continue reading...Yellow flower that only grows in York went extinct in 1991 brought back to life by Natural England experts
York groundsel was a cheerful yellow flower that slipped into global extinction in 1991, thanks to overzealous application of weedkiller in the city of its name.
But now the urban plant has been bought back to life in the first ever de-extinction in Britain, and is flowering again in York.
Continue reading...The list of hopefuls also includes sites in Birkenhead, Northern Ireland and the Cayman Islands
The historic city centre of York and ancient settlements in the Shetlands are among seven sites backed by the UK government to win Unesco world heritage status, it has been announced.
York, which boasts the Minster and enjoys a rich history bequeathed by its Anglo-Saxon, Viking and Norman inhabitants, and three ancient settlements known as the “zenith of iron age Shetland” join five other sites announced on the “tentative list” to bid for the status.
Continue reading...Elected leader would take office in 2024 alongside return of powers from Westminster as part of levelling-up agenda
York and North Yorkshire are to elect a mayor and receive £540m of government investment over 30 years in a landmark devolution deal to be signed on Monday.
The agreement will create a new combined authority across the region led by a directly elected mayor, who will have the power to spend the money on local priorities such as transport, education and housing.
Continue reading...Campaigners say removal of blue badge parking to make way for new defences is in breach of Equality Act
Disability rights campaigners are planning a legal challenge against York council after it voted to ban blue badge parking on key streets in the city centre.
York Accessibility Action (YAA), an organisation founded by disabled York residents and carers, said the city has become a “no go zone” for many disabled people and there was now no suitable parking within 150 metres of the city centre.
Continue reading...‘Nothing of obvious significance’ found at gravel pits near York as part of inquiry into disappearance of chef
Police have said “nothing of obvious significance” was found during a search of a lake as part of the investigation into the disappearance of university chef Claudia Lawrence.
Teams of police experts, search dogs, divers and forensic archaeologists spent two weeks scouring the lake and nearby woods as the murder probe continues.
Continue reading...The health secretary told the Commons that several areas of England were being moved to the tier 2 level of coronavirus restrictions designed for high-risk areas. The new rules will come into force at one minute past midnight on Saturday, for an undetermined amount of time, in areas including London, Essex, York and north-east Derbyshire
Repairs body says it will not review idea of temporary move as decision is for MPs and peers
Boris Johnson’s suggestion of moving parliament to York while a multibillion-pound restoration of the Palace of Westminster takes place will not be considered by a body reviewing the plans.
The prime minister had requested that a “possible location outside London” be looked at as a place for parliament to sit while the crumbling palace is revamped at an estimated cost of £4bn.
Continue reading...University of York researchers trace the source of underarm aromas to a particular enzyme
Scientists have unravelled the mysterious mechanism behind the armpit’s ability to produce the pungent smell of body odour.
Researchers at the University of York traced the source of underarm odour to a particular enzyme in a certain microbe that lives in the human armpit.
Continue reading...PM says city should be in frame if Commons or Lords have to move during restoration work
Boris Johnson has confirmed that Downing Street is thinking of setting up a “government hub” in York, telling officials drawing up restoration plans for the Palace of Westminster that they should consider the city if the Commons or Lords have to be moved.
Restoration of the parliamentary estate, which is crumbling in many places and viewed as a significant fire risk, could cost an estimated £6bn, and the plans are still being debated.
Continue reading...Ads pulled after Haxby Bakehouse owner and Labour member Phil Clayton complains
There are thousands of bakeries from which the UK government had to choose to star in its latest public information campaign. The Haxby Bakehouse was probably the only one to have produced loaves flour-stencilled with “F*ck Boris” during last year’s general election.
Nonetheless, a photograph of its owner, Phil Clayton, dusted with flour and carrying a tray of freshly baked goods appeared in national newspapers on Saturday with the headline “Welcome back to freshly baked bread”, to promote the government’s “Enjoy summer safely” campaign.
Continue reading...Locked-down institutions go online for Yorkshire Museum’s weekly ‘curator battles’
A zombie blowfish, a hideous mermaid and a lucky charm made out of a dead man’s finger are all competing to be crowned the creepiest exhibits in the world after an archaeological museum in the north of England challenged curators during the lockdown to showcase their most sinister objects.
Since its closure due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Yorkshire Museum in York has launched a weekly #curatorbattle on social media to challenge museums and visitors to put forward objects related to a particular theme.
Continue reading...One of the first two people to test positive for coronavirus in the UK has been confirmed as a student at the University of York.
The university’s vice-chancellor, Prof Charlie Jeffery, said: “Our immediate concerns are for the affected student and family, along with the health and continued wellbeing of our students, staff, and the residents and visitors of our city."
He stressed that the university would continue to operate as normal
Continue reading...