Archive

TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Army captain who went on to become chief executive of a York mental health unit. Len Barnard, of Herberts Way, in Heworth, York, died in York Hospital on Christmas Day, aged 84. He will be particularly remembered

MORE than 1,000 households in Ryedale were summonsed to court for council tax arrears between April 2007 and March last year, new figures have revealed. Research conducted by the Liberal Democrat Party shows that, between April 1 2007 and March 31 last

DENMAN’S possible participation in the Grand National might be great news for racing, but I’ll bet there’s a fair few trainers who privately aren’t that chuffed about the prospect. Paul Nicholls’ wonder horse would have a lofty rating around

SHE took part in a school challenge to encourage people to ditch their cars for cycles – and won a new shiny bike. But after thieves struck, 14-year-old Rebecca Brayshaw, of Acomb, York, has been left devastated following the theft of her £200 prized

A York pensioner has been fined a total of £500 by city magistrates after admitting altering and fraudulently using his deceased wife’s disabled parking permit. Mr Alan Atkinson, 73, of Queenswood Grove, York admitted in court yesterday that on 20

A UFO expert says he has received numerous emails from people who have seen mysterious lights in the skies over York. Russ Kellett told today how he had been overwhelmed by the response since The Press published a short article last week about

Artistic director Damian Cruden is determined to defy the credit crunch in his programming for the spring and summer season at York Theatre Royal. “It’s a mixed season but with a lot of comedy,” he says, introducing the line-up in the main auditorium

IF YOU have bemoaned the lack of “serious theatre” shows at the Grand Opera House, York, stop those thoughts. The new season has two plays that fit the bill: Hull playwright Richard Bean’s Harvest and Tim Firth’s high comedy Sign Of The Times. Running

JIMMY Osmond, once your Long Haired Over From Liverpool in childhood pop day in 1972, will play slick lawyer Billy Flynn in Chicago on tour at the Grand Opera House, York, from April 20 to 25. Osmond will join the national tour from March 9

THE final production at Hull Truck Theatre’s Spring Street home opens on Thursday and the inevitable choice for the finale is John Godber’s most successful play of all, Bouncers. From January 15 to February 14, for one last time the men in black will

DETAILS of the £9 million upgrade currently under way at the A64 Hopgrove roundabout junction in York go on show to the public tomorrow. The exhibition at Stockton-on-the-Forest village hall will be a chance for people to discuss the aims and

COMEDY is in the timing, and the timing is not always spot on early in a run. Such is the lottery of seeing Dick Turpin, The Panto ride into town before it has settled into the saddle. Catching up with Berwick Kaler’s 30th anniversary extravaganza for

THE V&A is to film York Theatre Royal’s pantomime, Dick Turpin The Panto, for the London museum’s theatre archive, another honour to sit alongside the Mulberry Hall porcelain candlesnuffer to mark Berwick Kaler’s 30th anniversary as the dame. The V&A

OWEN Calvert-Lyons, York Theatre Royal’s director of youth theatre, is to leave his post at the end of January to move to the Arcola Theatre in London. “I’ll be helping them to build a new youth theatre, which we hope will eventually become

IMPRESARIO Ellen Kent and Ballet International are touring Britain with a new production of Coppelia, visiting the Grand Opera House, York, for performances at 7.30pm on February 2 and 2.30pm and 7.30pm on February 3. Performed by the Russian

THE Metropolitan Opera Live season via satellite at City Screen, York, continues on Sunday evening with Giacomo Puccini’s La Rondine at 6pm. Real-life duo Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna provide the star power for this ravishing romance

SWEDISH roots trio Baskery will play their first headline Yorkshire show in Leeds the day after they release their debut album, Fall Among Thieves, on Glitterhouse Records on January 26. Sisters Greta, Stella and Sunniva Bondesson will open their tour

THE Joseph Rowntree Foundation has applied to City of York Council for permission to build a two-storey energy plant on the site of Derwenthorpe, which will include a wood-burning boiler. It also wants the go-ahead for a foul water pumping station to

YORK City's FA Trophy second round trip to Oxford United on Saturday has been postponed due to a frozen pitch. The match will now be played on Tuesday, January 13, kick off 7.45pm. If a replay is required, it will be held a week later

RESIDENTS across North Yorkshire are being urged to take the green approach to disposing of their Christmas trees and cards as festive trimmings come down throughout the region. North Yorkshire County Council has issued tips and guidance on how Yuletide

HUNDREDS of youngsters are expected to attend an open evening at York College which will focus on the Young Apprenticeship scheme. Motivated teenagers aged 14 to 16 who are predicted good GCSE grades are invited to attend the information evening at the

TEACHERS and children at a flagship £7.5 million primary school in York are celebrating after news that it has been bumped up to “satisfactory” status. A report, by education body Ofsted, showed Hob Moor Primary School, in Acomb, has shown “rapid improvement

A HUMANIST advertising campaign has been launched on buses in York. The campaign runs on First York bus services until the start of February and carries the slogan: “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” It

THE neighbours are confused. They’re an amiable lot, more than happy to pass the time of day and occasionally pass comment on whatever car is sitting on my driveway. They are used to seeing a procession of most of what’s new in the showrooms and the

CASH-STRAPPED leaseholders across York have held crisis talks amid fears their pubs face closure as the economic downturn continues to bite. A meeting was held yesterday involving leaseholders of The Bay Horse, in Blossom Street, the Cock & Bottle,

Patients across York and North Yorkshire are to be asked for their opinions on their GP services in a bid to improve the local NHS, as NICOLA FIFIELD reports. THOUSANDS of patients in York and North Yorkshire have the chance to give their views on

TWO legal firms with a centuries-long pedigree in advising entrepreneurs and owner-managed businesses are merging to target larger companies in the Selby and wider York area market. Elmhirst, which has an office in Finkle Street, Selby, and at The Cross

HOW do employers face up to Facebook? The production-draining effect of social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace on businesses is the topic to be discussed by York law firm Denison Till at its York HR Meeting at Hotel 53, Piccadilly, York, on

A CAR park on the site of a former car dealership on the outskirts of York city centre is operating illegally, according to the city council. The Press reported yesterday that Premier Parking Solutions had taken over running the car park of the former

YORK Art Gallery has set the exhibition bar very high at the outset of 2009 with its imminent Stanley Spencer – 50 Years On show. Works by one of the great British artists of the 20th century will be on display in York for the first time from January

SEAL’S new album has been gaining plenty of airplay, and no wonder – it’s packed with timeless classics such as James Brown’s It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World, Otis Redding’s I’ve Been Loving You Too Long and Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Going To Come

WHAT About Us proved that John Barrowman can be a great pop performer, as well as one of the leading men of musical theatre and a rather dashing Captain Jack. What About Us also adds to Gary Barlow’s extra-curricular activity. Unfortunately, the rest

Having worked his magic with Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, Eminem and Snoop Dogg, Akon is apparently on the production team of Michael Jackson’s comeback album, should it ever see the light of day. A leaked recording of the two singing on Hold My Hand is

HERE are two understated albums that drift like a long summer’s day so perhaps it is of no great concern that we let them slip by last year. Both will reward your patience in their mutual slacker reflections on the English way of life. Halstead should

The Damned have produced their first album in more than seven years and the first one in ages that sounds like The Damned of the late 1970s. The dark, Masonic side of Dave Vanian and the pop rock of Captain Sensible blend together to produce another

CHINESE Democracy is the first album from rock giants Guns N Roses since 1991. Produced by Axl Rose and Caram Costanzo, this 14-track mammoth is worth the wait, charting a journey through tumultuous rock classics, sensitive ballads and heart-breaking

This acoustic gem was recorded over two nights in Ann Arbor, Michigan in November 1968, six months after Young’s abrupt departure from Buffalo Springfield and just two months before the release of his eponymous debut album. In essence, it is the public

THE sudden hiccup which closed the Black Swan, Peasholme Green, has been solved and York Jazz resumed at the Swan on Wednesday. Check yorkjazz.com for listings of coming events. Paul Baxter, James Lancaster and all at York Jazz are eternally grateful

The annual York Open Studios event, when artists across the city welcome the public into their workspaces, will take place from Friday, March 27 to Sunday, March 29. To whet the appetite, a series of eight free workshops will be held this month at York

BUSINESS people in York and Selby have spoken to the shadow work and pensions minister on their concerns about the recession and being hampered by red tape. Conservative MP James Clappison visited North Yorkshire yesterday for a summit in Selby

ARE you fed up with the depressing world news or with buying presents for everyone but yourself, asks Ann Petherick, owner of Kentmere House Gallery in York? “January is the time for treating yourself,” says Ann, whose latest exhibition of original

FIREFIGHTERS have been battling throughout the night to bring a huge blaze at an East Riding factory under control. Crews were called to Tekno Ltd in Killingraves Lane, Bishop Burton, just after 2am today after the alarm was raised and discovered

Grammy Award winner Amrit Sond headlines the first Ryedale Live! acoustic concert of 2009 at Amotherby Parish Hall, near Malton, tonight, at 7.30pm. Now based in London, the Kenyan-born guitarist draws on elements of world, jazz, classical, folk and

Using a mobile while driving is dangerous and selfish. STEPHEN LEWIS reports. “Honi soit qui mal y pense” declared the motto on the royal crest hanging above the magistrates bench. “Let evil happen to him who thinks evil.” I wasn

COME to York Gordon Brown and talk to us – that’s the message from city council leader Andrew Waller and businessmen and women keen for the Prime Minister to drop in and speak to them on his tour of the country. Mr Brown is on a three-day tour of England

ONLY one week remains to see an exclusive exhibition of photographs of playwright Alan Ayckbourn to mark the finale of his artistic directorship of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough. Alan Ayckbourn: Seen And Unseen features 50 images from throughout

PETER Broderick is a name yet to register in many homes, but his debut album, Home, arrived just in time to make number 19 in The Sunday Times’ pick of the year’s best and number 26 in Mojo magazine’s selection for 2008. Home will be promoted by the

BRITISH soul singer Lemar is to play Harrogate International Centre on April 14 on his spring tour. Tickets are on sale at £24.47 from the HIC box office on 0845 130 8840. Last November, Lemar released his fourth studio album, The Reason, building

YORK City manager Martin Foyle has revealed he has no plans to sell top scorer Richard Brodie during the January transfer window. Foyle also admitted he was disappointed that Blue Square Premier rivals Barrow commented on the possibility of

IT SEEMS that never a day passes without our media-obsessed Ministers popping up on well-known heavyweight political programmes such as the Lorraine Kelly show or Hole In The Wall to announce another “major initiative”. It’s either creating non-jobs,

DESPITE the comfort of their hallowed chambers, their salaries, the shortness of the court day (10am to 4.30pm) and the deference they receive from lesser mortals, even judges are subject to stresses and strains – as the following exchanges from court

A SELBY man has been found guilty of waging a campaign of “obnoxious and abhorrent” race hate against Jews and other minority groups, before fleeing to America. Simon Sheppard is now set to face justice after being convicted of a string of race crimes

THE truth is out there. Somewhere. UFO expert Russ Kellett has been getting lots of emails reporting mysterious lights over York. One person wrote of seeing an “object travelling towards me. I could see that there were tubes of lights coming from the

WITH reference to “Drink-drive tests anger” (The Press, January 2), the law simply states that drink-driving is an offence. In my view, anyone doing so, no matter of age, nationality or profession should be barred for life from driving, and where life

I am writing in response to the letter published in The Press on December 30 (Dredging up past solutions to floods), and a response on January 5 (Flooding sense), regarding the improvement of flood defences and dredging. I am a resident of Rawcliffe

My dad and I would like to award a medal to the ftr bus driver on Tuesday at about 9am. It is an award for excellent driving, as he managed to take the corner at Blossom Street, turning towards the station in one lane. Don’t ask us how he did it; there

MANY thanks to John Grogan, MP, and Hugh Bayley, MP for their New Year’s messages, putting us on a hard times ahead alert. It’s a bit rich coming from two MPs who have only to board a rattler down to the smoke (pardon the pun, Mr Bayley), and submit

I HAVE been accused of writing bile and prejudice concerning New Labour in the past, so look away now if you are so inclined. The seasonal message from Hugh Bayley: “Is to do what I can to protect York people from the economic downturn.” Doesn’t Mr

In her role as Labour spokesperson for housing on City Of York Council, one would expect Coun Simpson-Laing to be doing all she can to solve the lack of family and affordable housing in York. Readers of the letters pages will be well aware of her

When it comes to the subject of graffiti, one has only to read “The Way We Were” (The Press, December 31), when 100 years ago, a prisoner was sentenced for chalking on public pavements. The prisoner had refused to state a religion until, under duress

I BELIEVE that Israel must withdraw from Gaza. I believe the assault may stop Hamas from sending more missiles into Israel. I believe Israel must withdraw to stop more bloodshed on both sides. The way forward on this issue is for the Arab nations

COME and talk to us. That is the challenge issued to Prime Minister Gordon Brown today by York council leader Andrew Waller and local businessmen and women. The Prime Minister is on a three-day tour of England and Wales to explain what the Government

Further to Mrs Wilcockson’s letter about New Year’s Eve in York and her disappointment (York’s New Year was damp squib, Letters, January 6). Sadly, she has completely missed the point, and failed to understand the spontaneous nature of the gathering

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the residents of York for being so generous, in these financially challenging times, to help us raise £4,500 from our Christmas float collection. Every penny collected will be used to support Rotary

OXFORD United will be without suspended key men Adam Murray and Chris Willmott for tomorrow’s FA Trophy second round home clash with York City. Centre-back Willmott had been due to serve his one-match ban during Saturday’s Blue Square Premier match at

FULL-BACK Ben Purkiss’ stomach strain will not be risked should York City’s FA Trophy tie at Oxford go ahead tomorrow. On-loan signing Kyle Critchell will replace Purkiss at right-back for the second round clash, which is subject to a 3pm pitch

ROB KAMA is relishing the chance to play in front of the Huntington Stadium crowd again after being a late call-up to the York Select XIII. The Fijian flier, a favourite of the York City Knights fans in 2003/4, has been drafted into the representative

FEEDER will top the first night’s bill at the new three-day Coastival arts festival in Scarborough at the Spa Grand Hall on February 13. The band has a connection with the resort. Drummer Mark Richardson used to play with Scarborough rock group

The first British Music Society of York concert of 2009 next Friday is an opportunity to hear original compositions for the unusual combination of harp and oboe at the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York. Young musicians Victoria Davies and

Paul Merton, Simon Day, Richard Herring, Ed Byrne and Count Arthur Strong lead the comedy line-up for the first quarter of 2009 at Harrogate Theatre. Have I Got News For You team captain Paul Merton presents his Silent Clowns show on April 27 at 7pm,

Title-chasing Pickering Town face another tough fixture tomorrow when they host fifth-placed Long Eaton United. The Derbyshire side lie six points behind the Pikes in the Northern Counties East League premier division but have three games in hand.

ASK Tony Earnshaw, film critic, festival programmer and author of Made In Yorkshire, to name his favourite Yorkshire film and unhesitatingly he picks This Sporting Life. “It sounds a bit clichéd to say this, but it’s one of the few films I’

POLICE began a crackdown on cyclists breaking the rules of the road on a busy York thoroughfare last night. Officers were out in force in Hull Road yesterday to clampdown on cyclists using footpaths, those without proper lighting and those

Leeds United will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in the league to three games when they play host to Carlisle United tomorrow (3pm). The Elland Road side secured a draw against Coca-Cola League One leaders Leicester City and victory over

HOUNDS have finally registered their first win of the York F1 Racing Premier Karting Sunday Morning Football League. The Selby side beat local rivals Hambleton 4-1 in division one. The sides were all-square at the break, but Hounds took control with

SLUMDOG Millionaire is in the running for four Golden Globes and is tipped for Oscar nominations too, and yet Danny Boyle might never have made the film. “They sent the script and my agent said it was a script about Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and

The Yorkshire Winter League is poised for a nail-biting finish after the penultimate leg on the Ouse upstream of York on Sunday. On a low and clear river, fish were much harder to tempt than the previous day’s contest on the same venue and there were

The big freeze put paid to most still-water contests but Kev Whincup at Carpvale deployed his boat to good effect on the Match Lake, breaking enough ice to allow Sunday’s Bob-Co contest to go ahead despite the Arctic conditions. Greens Fisheries’ Mick

DANNY Boyle’s 14-year career as a film-maker has been erratic but broad in its range, from the early highs of Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, through the commercial travel-brochure gloss of The Beach, the fallow follies of A Life Less Ordinary and Millions

AMERICAN teen movies have travelled this puerile road before, and will do so again because there is always a randy and ready new audience looking to pop its cherry too. Move over Animal House, Porky’s and the endless slices of American Pie, here comes

York Knavesmire Harriers took a strong squad to the Brighouse for the Pennine 10k on a hilly course in cold conditions. Graeme Adams took the main prize for the Knavesmire club with a first position in his age group (M65) in a time of 52 minutes and

REFEREEING courses are being offered in York by the United Kingdom Independent Football Federation (UKIFF). UKIFF-qualified officials are needed to oversee matches in the York Leisure Six-a-side League and courses will be held in the city this summer

SHANE Meadows, the Midlands auteur of modern British cinema, calls Somers Town a “fantastic accident”. He had intended to chill out for a year after This Is England while mulling over his next big film project, King Of The Gypsies, when a combination

WETHERBY Racecourse may wait until tomorrow morning to see whether their seven-race meeting that afternoon can go ahead – following an up-turn in the weather. Chief executive Jonjo Sanderson told The Press on Wednesday the track needed “a miracle” in

A PRIMARY school in York is celebrating a £2,000 fundraising boost to finance its free breakfast club for pupils. Candis magazine stepped in to ease the strain on Derwent School’s budget helping to fund the daily early morning club. The club at

HE came to Norton with just “one horse and a load of promises” – Tim Pitt has never been scared of doing things the hard way. Pitt, you may recall, was the trainer who had it all. Two Group 1 winners with Les Arcs, a Chester Cup with Admiral and Not

North Yorkshire jockey Paul Mulrennan, looking forward to teaming up once more with Turn On The Style in Dubai next month, has an all-important date with his desert partner at Lingfield tomorrow. Mulrennan, who is attached to Mick Easterby’s Sheriff

THE Railwaymen have a new face at the helm. Andy Daw has taken over the coaching duties at York RI and is in charge for the first time when the Yorkshire Four side visit Leeds Corinthians tomorrow. Daw has arrived at New Lane having last year coached

POLICE are appealing for information following an attempted robbery in which a man was repeatedly headbutted by a masked attacker in a York street. The incident happened in the early hours of Tuesday in Grosvenor Road, near York Hospital. The

A nursery boss in North Yorkshire showed real steel when she appeared on a TV game show. Sarah Steel, managing director of The Old Station Nursery at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, near York, starred in the new ITV1 series of The Krypton Factor, one of Britain’

A HOUSEBOUND woman who died in a York blaze that may have been sparked by her own cigarette has been named. Lyn Winzar, 61, lost her life when fire broke out in the living room of her semi-detached home in Whitethorn Close, Huntington, on Monday evening

THOUSANDS of motorists faced a massive detour – plunging several villages into traffic chaos – after a stolen oil tank overturned and spilt diesel over a major trunk road near York. The York-bound carriageway of the A19 at Escrick was closed

A MAN has been charged with burglary following a ram-raid attack on a York supermarket. Thieves turned the entrance to the newly-opened Aldi food store in Jockey Lane into a shattered mess of broken glass and twisted metal after ploughing a car into