Archive

  • Chinese New Year Gala at Grand Opera House

    I was pleased to be invited by the Chinese Students' and Scholars' Association to the Grand Opera House to see the Chinese New Year Gala - as a result of arranging for the film Lust Caution to be shown at City Screen as part of the celebrations. The

  • York City striker Craig Farrell joins Oxford United on loan

    YORK City striker Craig Farrell has joined Oxford United on loan until the end of the season. The former Leeds United frontman signed for City's Blue Square Premier rivals after turning down a switch to Blue Square North high-flyers Gateshead.

  • Monkton Road road accident

    A CASUALTY was taken to hospital with suspected serious injuries after a road accident in York. The incident, which involved a Toyota Corolla car and a Renault Scenic people carrier, happened at the northern end of Monkton Road, off Malton

  • Wetherby Races blog - live

    16:34: In the darkening gloom, Kealshore Lass makes it a hat-trick of wins for North Yorkshire trainers when taking the final bumper contest. Brian Ellison, Pat Haslam and now Middleham's George Moore have all got on the scoresheet in what has

  • Manager given £77k retirement package

    COUNCIL chiefs in York have awarded a £77,000 pay-off to a manager – only days after giving him the job, The Press can reveal. The senior social services employee started a new post with City of York Council on November 1 last year, only for

  • Seeing red at the Minster

    YORK MINSTER is bathed in red to highlight the latest campaign by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). The switch-on was performed by York actor Andrew Dunn, star of TV’s Dinner Ladies and Coronation Street. The Red For Heart campaign

  • Some first-class letters are now dealt with in Leeds

    FEARS for the future of York’s postal sorting office – and more than 350 jobs – deepened today after it emerged that some first class letters are now being sent to Leeds to be sorted. Royal Mail has also confirmed that all second-class letters posted

  • Depot brushes up on eco values

    COUNCILLOR Anne Reid checks out work at York’s EcoDepot, which has won an environmental accolade, as driver Martin Potter hoses down his mini road sweeper. The straw-clad EcoDepot has been named as one of Europe’s most environmentally-friendly buildings

  • Police name crash victims

    THE two teenagers and middle-aged man killed in a horrific car accident at Spofforth, near Harrogate, have now been formally identified. They were killed on Tuesday evening when a silver Citroen Saxo containing five teenagers collided with a white Skoda

  • Whitehall stubs out fire crusade

    THE Government has ignored the pleas of fire chiefs – and hundreds of Press readers – and imposed an effective cut in funding on North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service. Ministers have confirmed that the fire authority’s grant for 2009/10 will rise by

  • Pupils at the double

    SIMPLY twin-credible! Teachers at a school in North Yorkshire have been rubbing their eyes after seven sets of twins joined its ranks. Staff at St Martin’s Ampleforth School, at Gilling Castle, near Helmsley, in North Yorkshire, believe they may

  • Reward offered in axe robbery probe

    A reward is being offered by the owners of a York shop in a bid to bring an axe-wielding gang who terrified staff and customers in a late-night raid to justice. The hooded robbers burst into the Spar store in Lowther Street, in The Groves, punched its

  • Mystery as doors stay shut at Japanese Shop

    MYSTERY surrounds an award-winning city centre store after it closed its doors to customers without warning. The Japanese Shop, in Coppergate Walk, has been closed since Friday last week following a sale which saw all prices slashed by half. The apparent

  • Why Churchill’s snub baffled city

    THE sense of pride and excitement must have been immense – Britain’s Prime Minister and wartime hero, set to become a freeman of York. Some 65 years ago this winter, York was on tenterhooks. Winston Churchill had been offered the Honorary Freedom of

  • Police hail drop in county crime rate

    CRIME has continued to fall in York and North Yorkshire, new figures have revealed. Statistics for the period from April 1 to December 31 last year show a reduction in reported crime of 582 offences compared to the same period in 2007, when there were

  • Police found heroin in car of ‘incoherent’ motorist

    A MOTORIST high on drink or drugs had 2.7g of heroin in his car when he visited Askham Bryan College, York magistrates heard. Staff at the agricultural educational centre called in police who had difficulty understanding Stephen Mark Rix, 34, said Martin

  • Pyjama party at nursery

    THE problem of deciding what to wear in the morning was made a lot easier for staff and children at a York nursery, who decided to spend the day in their pyjamas. Busy Bees Nursery in Rawcliffe decided to hold the pyjama day as a way to raise money for

  • Don’t forget her

    I was recently forwarded an email which had a poster of Madeleine McCann and was once again appealing for help. As a parent, I cannot imagine the pain and desperation that this family must be feeling and it is so important to keep her name and

  • The end is nigh

    The new unemployment statistics across Europe will come as no surprise. However, there is significant danger in them for certain EU member states. In Spain for example, the figures are rising through 18 per cent. Competition for even the most menial

  • Cut will hit fire heroes

    FIREFIGHTERS are among the few true modern heroes. They are prepared, day in and day out, to put their lives on the line to save others. It is the major fires that make the headlines. But that is just a small part of their job. Firefighters are also

  • Winston woe

    HE was the greatest of all Great Britons, the inspiring wartime leader who pledged we would never surrender. Yet you’d almost think Winston Churchill had a grudge against York. The city fathers repeatedly offered him the freedom of the city. Churchill

  • Finding key to housing crisis

    Private enterprise is responsible for great progress, as are our universities, but when things get beyond them we all need Government support. The young need it to help with a home of their own to progress in life; the lowest-paid and disabled for

  • No surprise there

    So, HRH Prince Charles (Letters, 23 January), speaking from the opulence of his London home, Clarence House, announces that Britain suffers “from a fragmented society... of prejudiced communities”. I’m not surprised if we do, with twerps like him

  • What’s going on?

    WHAT is happening to our city? If it isn’t the Yorkshire Wheel it’s the Barbican or the empty former Boots shop. I have been a resident for more than 50 years and things were far better in the old days. Why on earth was the wheel moved in the first

  • Stop harping on

    WHY, oh why, is everyone harping on about the Yorkshire Wheel? It’s getting as boring as all the talk and non-movement over the council offices in Hungate, and the Barbican closure/reopen/closure, etc. Why didn’t they just keep the wheel where

  • Death of popular York lecturer Tom Corser

    A WELL-RESPECTED university lecturer from York has died six days after his 90th birthday. Tom Corser, a lecturer at St John’s College for more than 40 years, died at his home in Muncastergate. He started teaching at St John’s in York as a PE lecturer

  • Doctor uses space age technology

    A DANISH chiropractor has opened a practice using space age technology. It will be in use for the first time in York when Dr Kristian Einshoj takes part in an open weekend in Millers Yard, off Gillygate. Dr Einshoj has established The Chiropractic

  • Idoya Leon faces jail over death crash

    A STUDENT teacher faces jail after she failed to explain how her car crashed resulting in the death of a pensoner. A jury convicted Idoya Leon, 22, of causing the death of Margaret Dickinson by dangerous driving after she claimed there was a gap in her

  • Parking pluses

    For the second time in a week The Press has reported a proposal to increase car parking charges in York “across the board” (Parking price rise warning, The Press, January 28). This is simply untrue The majority of users will face a price freeze,

  • Rudolf’s thanks

    MINSTER Lions wish to thank members of the public who gave so generously to our collections with Rocking Rudolf in December. The club would also like to thank all the helpers/volunteers who turned out in all kinds of weather to raise the fantastic

  • Father’s anger over fat ‘ignorance’

    IN REPLY to Adam Quentin McCartney (Fat? Time to eat less and exercise, Letters, January 28) regarding the issue of sending children who are overweight to a camp. I was absolutely astonished and annoyed at his ignorant remark about children who are

  • Temperatures to drop as icy wind blows in from Russia

    ICY wind from will be sweeping across Britain tomorrow, possibly bringing a snowy start to Monday morning. With average temperatures in December and January about 1C below average, this winter already looks as though it is going to be the coldest since

  • Review: How Sweet It Is, Grand Opera House, York

    WHAT would you want in a show to mark the 50th anniversary of Tamla Motown, the soul sound of Detroit Motor City? The wonderful dance and bedroom music, of course, some slick dancing, and a hot band would be good too, but how about nostalgia-stirring

  • Opera North in Let ’Em Eat Cake, Grand Theatre, Leeds

    It seems as if we cannot get away from American presidential elections. No, not Barack Obama. This time it’s John P Wintergreen. In the wake of his victory in Gershwin’s Of Thee I Sing, which Opera North revived last autumn, he is back in town seeking

  • Pupils raise £1,292 to help Yorks war heroes

    PUPILS at an East Yorkshire school have raised £1,292 for Yorkshire war heroes. At Pocklington School pupils and staff held a Help for Heroes charity concert in aid of ex-servicemen and women who have fought for their country and been injured in some

  • It’s a criminal tendency

    THE most criminal town in England is preparing for another murderous invasion. Harrogate may seem genteel on the surface, but the wind that blows across the Stay brings with it a serious whiff of criminality. Fortunately for the residents of the spa

  • Churchgoers highlight homeless by sleeping rough

    CHURCHGOERS in Ryedale are preparing to spend a night sleeping under the stars to highlight the problem of homelessness. Parishioners at All Saints’, in Kirkbymoorside, have formed a partnership with York Nightstop, which finds emergency overnight accommodation

  • I don’t really get women’s mags

    I’M AN avid reader. I love books, I read newspapers and, very occasionally, I pick up one of the glossy magazines for women. And quickly realise that’s a few quid and 15 minutes I’m never going to get back. Every time I flick through such a mag, I realise

  • All fired up

    IT IS pitch black, freezing cold and 6ft of fire is blazing before me. I take a deep breath, cast my eyes to the heavens and step on to the coals, praying my nail varnish won’t catch light and cook me alive. There are claps, cheers and a flash of the

  • Neal Guppy... The people man

    NEAL Guppy is such a unique character that a word has to be made up to describe him. For almost 50 years, Neal has made a living out of bringing people together to have fun, so I reckon ‘socialpreneur’ is the best fit. His venue, Guppy’s Enterprise Club

  • Blacksmiths Arms, Flaxton

    I had expected a routine eating-out assignment. You know the kind of thing: historic country pub, traditional food, good beer.... Well, the Blacksmiths Arms at Flaxton certainly had some of that to offer, but it also left me puzzling over a bit of a culinary

  • Wildes Wine Bar, Grape Lane, York

    IN these straightened times we shall do our best to ferret out snacking opportunities that offer a bargain. It pays to keep your eyes open and scour newspapers and magazines. We spotted an advert for a lunch offer (Sunday to Friday) at £4.50 per person

  • Pinot Grigio

    JUST imagine you were perusing the supermarket wine aisle, in search of a sub-fiver white. Would you be enticed by a wine labelled with the German moniker for the grape varietal grauburgunder? I wager not, but call the grape by the more recognised pinot

  • Sorted for spring

    THE milder weather last Sunday got me outside for a satisfying spell in the garden. There were a few jobs niggling at the back of my mind, so it was good to go outside to get them sorted. February, which arrives tomorrow, may still bring

  • Osmotherley

    OSMOTHERLEY is tucked off the A19 and as popular as it gets with walkers on the North York Moors. They start a mile out of the village at Sheepwash, where there is a National Trust car park with a designated space for an ice cream van. Even on a chilly

  • Brodie still Foyle’s man on the spot

    TOP scorer Richard Brodie has been given the green light to continue as York City’s penalty taker despite missing from the spot at Altrincham. Brodie will not be relieved of the responsibility during today’s FA Trophy clash at Kidderminster

  • Help at hand

    YORK and North Yorkshire golf clubs increasingly imperilled by the economic downswing can get help. The English Golf Union has reminded clubs it will provide expert assistance to any venues wanting to avoid potential hardship. As revealed in a special

  • Opportunity mist as Dyson bid is stalled

    FOG has delayed Simon Dyson’s Dubai adventure. The North Yorkshire golfer completed only five holes of his second round in the Dubai Desert Classic with six hours of play lost over the opening two days because of the conditions. Following up an

  • Terry’s travels take him to 1,300 grounds

    NOT Eastbourne. That was the general reaction when news of the south-coast club’s promotion to the Blue Square Premier reached these quarters last May. Another 560-mile round journey for York City’s travel-weary fans seemed as welcome as a visit from

  • Youth holds key to golf club’s future

    AN age-old problem is at the forefront of one of Heworth Golf Club’s biggest obstacles, writes Tony Kelly. In Thursday’s edition, The Press examined a far-reaching development plan launched by the club in a bid to increase membership and revenue during

  • Go Monty go

    THE headlines have already been written. Even though the event is still more than 20 whole months away, you can see them now, screaming in darkest, starkest black and white from the back pages – maybe the front. Monty Zoomer the fourth estate will

  • Captain marvel’s hat-trick lands man of the match gong

    YORK City Knights made it a hat-trick of wins in pre-season with a 32-14 defeat of Castleford Tigers – and it was a particularly fitting night for Tom Hodgson. The young hooker was given the captaincy for the day due to his close relationship with the

  • Hatfield and Farmery lead Holgate push

    HOLGATE ‘A’ were 7-3 victors over Railway ‘B’ in division one of the NEDL York and District Table Tennis League. Holgate were grateful to contributions from John Farmery and Graham Hatfield, although Hatfield won two of his sets by the narrowest

  • Will Be Done can land Wetherby’s Towton Novices’ Chase

    WILL BE DONE will take plenty of beating in Wetherby’s feature Towton Novices’ Chase today. Donald McCain’s progressive eight-year-old hasn’t stopped improving and is taken to score in the £33,000 contest. Will Be Done clearly loves the Wetherby track

  • Birthday boy Matthews plans a party with punch for 21st

    A 21-STUN salute is the birthday bash sought by North Yorkshire professional boxer Harry Matthews. The Pocklington Rocket will celebrate his 21st birthday not in his best bib and tucker, nor in a swanky restaurant or at a fun-filled party, but rather

  • McCain’s course specialist eyes Wetherby hat-trick

    WETHERBY specialist Will Be Done bids for a hat-trick of course wins in the £33,000 Grade 2 Towton Novices’ Chase today. Donald McCain’s progressive eight-year-old has bagged a brace at the track – taking the One Man Novices’ Chase by 11 lengths before

  • Wiggy suffer a rare reverse

    IT SPORTS Wigginton suffered their first setback of 2009 when they were beaten 3-2 away at arch-rivals Pontefract in the Yorkshire Squash Premier League. The York side got off to a losing start when Jon Duffield lost 3-2 to Yorkshire Over-25s player

  • Swans’ derby delight

    BRAGGING rights were assured for Selby RUFC Under-15s as they whitewashed York 29-0. The crushing victory meant the young Swans had put 65 unanswered points past their neighbours and confirmed their superiority over their Clifton Park foes. From

  • Leaders Dunn for

    Dunnington blew the York FA Under-19s League title race wide open with a 4-2 victory over Rawcliffe. The third-placed side were 4-0 up against the leaders at half-time with two goals each from Rob Chipps and Liam Summers. It could have been even more

  • Ellie treble

    ELLIE Whytock netted a hat-trick as Stamford Bridge Under-10s beat Brayton Belles 4-1 in the City of York Girls’ League. Eve Ferguson opened the scoring and Bridge soon stretched the lead with a goal from Whytock. Brayton pulled a goal back but

  • Revival capped by brace

    YORK Schoolboys Under-12s returned from a long lay-off with a battling 2-1 victory over Nottingham at Poppleton. The home side fell behind after four minutes when impressive stand-in goalkeeper James Ash was beaten from the edge of the box after the

  • Ace putting brace

    CITY of York Athletics Club won two gold medals in field events at the Northern Indoor Athletics championships at Sheffield. Rebecca Tunnicliffe, aged 14, won the shot putt title with a new personal best of 11.84 metres in the Under-15 age group.

  • Lydia leads the way in Ampleforth cross-country tilt

    LYDIA Bramhall of St Martin’s School in Ampleforth is pictured striding purposefully to win the Under-13 girls’ race in a cross-country meet staged by the school and competed by runners from ten schools. Team results were: U11 girls – 1 Lyndhurst, 2

  • Van’s the plan to help schools partnerships

    ON the right road to success – that’s two York schools groups after they landed sponsorship from York car firm Evans Halshaw Citron. Jorvik School Sports Partnership and Ebor School Sports Partnership were given a logistical boost by the Clifton Moor-based

  • New Dawn for City Baths club

    SWIMMING coach Dawn Martland is plunging headlong into her new role with the ‘top squad’ at York City Baths Club. The former Selby Tiger Sharks Swimming Club coach switched to York last month and is currently putting the city’s leading youngsters

  • Six shooter Birch leads glory thrust

    SHARP-SHOOTER Katherine Birch hit top form for City of York Hockey Club Under-11s as they won the North Yorkshire Yazoo Minis. Birch netted five goals in an 8-0 demolition of Thirsk, which set York on the road to a tournament win. Lauren Ellwood bagged

  • Craig stars for City boys

    City of York Hockey Club Under-14s Boys’ won two of their three games in their latest Yorkshire Youth League fixture. York beat Slazengers 3-0 and, although they lost 2-0 to Doncaster, they closed out with a 2-1 win over Ben Rhydding ‘B’. Slazengers

  • Staff help police in fraud probe

    MORE than 20 former employees of collapsed York business Challenor Property Developments have now come forward to help police in their inquiries. Detective Sergeant Garry Ridler, who is playing a leading role in the investigation into suspected fraud

  • Runners line up for race day

    IT’S more recognised for the thunder of hooves but next week it’s the sound of schoolchildren which will be attracting attention at Thirsk Racecourse. North Yorkshire racecourses and North Yorkshire Sports Partnerships are collaborating to stage

  • Honour in defeat for Heworth U18s heroes

    ELEVEN-MAN Heworth ARLC Under-18s showed great character and team spirit away to Emley Moor, despite losing 28-22. The Villagers started with a full 13 players, but were down to 11 after just five minutes due to injury. Heworth completed their opening

  • Under-9s fight back

    Heworth ARLC Under-9s fought back to win a bruiser of a match at Eastmoor. Heworth took the game to the hosts from the off, with strong running from Cain North, Max Carry, Arron McBride and Jamie Harvey, and they took the lead as a set-move saw Carry

  • Magnificent sevens get a new look

    IN-FORM Woodthorpe Wanderers Football Club Under-7s are sweeping all before them. The youngsters opened the season by going 12 games unbeaten in the York Mitchell Sports Fair Play League. Coach Darren Nunn said: “This is our first full season together

  • Brent brace to seal win

    ALEX Brent scored a late winner for Dunnington Magpies Under-18s as they beat Brandesburton 3-2 in the Hull Boys Sunday Football League. Both sides went into the game undefeated and visitors Brandesburton opened the scoring with a looping shot from

  • York’s ham slicers

    York Under-11 Schoolboys continued their good run of form with a convincing 5-1 victory over Nottingham. With the York College pitch unplayable, a wonderful surface was provided by Poppleton Junior FC and York made full use of the conditions. Missing

  • New Jaye way is life of Riley

    TADCASTER Grammar School’s Jaye Riley is pounding an impreessive cross-country beat in the footsteps of her brother. The 13-year-old, pictured, is currently the West Yorkshire League Under-15 girls’ cross-country champion with still another year to run

  • Best yet for team Jorvik

    TEAM Jorvik clocked a clutch of personal bests and scooped a range of medals at the Rotherham ‘A’/‘B’ Gala at Ponds Forge in Sheffield. The youngest member of the squad was Daniel Roberts, nine, who swam a ten second PB on the 50m freestyle, achieving

  • Tiger duo are Tops

    GEMMA Robinson and Chloe Parkin were joint winners of the “Top Girl” award when Selby Tiger Sharks Swimming Club held their annual presentation. The pair could not be separated and shared the accolade at the ceremony staged at Selby Rugby Union Club

  • Top duo take trophy

    LUKE Blackburn and Ethan Lowe teamed up to win the junior doubles at the York Closed Table Tennis Championships at York RI. The duo beat Jamie Cameron and Jake McCarthy 10-12, 13-11, 11-7, 11-3 in the final to win the new Betty Norman Trophy, sponsored