Sunset over Clifton, with Bootham Crescent floodlights, Jan 2021

The photo above was taken from Crichton Avenue bridge, looking across the Clifton area of the city, in January this year. I’ve included it as the first image because this skyline, so familiar to me and many others, has since lost something. To the left, silhouetted against the sunset sky, are two of the floodlights that lit the Bootham Crescent football ground for so many years.

I’m writing this at 7pm on the last day of December. Technical difficulties and other issues earlier mean I won’t be able to send out a mailing list email about this, or the previous page, so perhaps no one will realise it’s here and read it, but I thought I should make the effort anyway, as this end of year review is now a tradition.

Also, there were quite a few things I wanted to add to these pages and didn’t, so this seems like a good time to at least give them a brief mention.

In January, plans to build a multi-storey car park at St George’s Field were approved – part of the wider Castle Gateway plans. (Approval doesn’t mean it will happen, as this proposal was seen as controversial, and sparked debate and disagreement, which continues.)

At the heart of the Castle Gateway plans is of course the castle – Clifford’s Tower – which back in February was surrounded by an impressive scaffolding structure.

Clifford’s Tower surrounded by scaffolding, Feb 2021

Major conservation works to the tower’s historic fabric have been taking place, alongside the installation of a new free standing roof deck.

In February came ‘the most shameful and absurd decision any committee has ever made‘, according to the author Terry Deary. Quite a claim. He was speaking to BBC Radio York, in response to a planning committee decision to refuse plans for a ‘Roman Quarter’ on Rougier Street. ‘They have put a knife into the city,’ he said.

I’ve just looked at a draft page I did on this, which didn’t get finished and published. I want to just include a couple of images from it.

This is how the end of Rougier Street looks at present (photo taken one evening earlier this year when I was up that way looking at the Triangular Gardens):

Approaching Rougier Street, 2021

As you pass through the archway in the city walls, this is what would greet you if the Roman Quarter proposals had gone ahead.

What had been proposed … Roman Quarter (Image: planning application documents)

Presumably the massive great bit on the top was intended to finance the interesting bit underneath. Glad it wasn’t approved, and still surprised at Mr Deary’s hyperbole, all these months on. As far as I know he doesn’t live in York so wouldn’t have to see the huge thing as often as we would.

Anyway, moving on. It was spring next.

Daffodils on Bootham Stray, 20 March 2021

Daffodils on the bar walls are a familiar sight, and have clearly been deliberately planted in that city centre location. But it’s always interesting and a bit odd to see tidy clumps of large-flowered daffodils in more remote locations. These were a surprising sight in the middle of Bootham Stray, a clump of yellow standing alone in what was otherwise a landscape made up mainly of grass and nettles. Presumably deliberately planted here by someone. Or perhaps brought in in soil dumped from somewhere else.

Back to the built environment, moving on into April.

In recent years the city has seen many blocks of purpose-built student accommodation built, and although it might have seemed like there must now be enough to satisfy demand, apparently that’s not the case, with plans for more still being considered. In April plans for another new block – on the former Plumbase site on Fawcett Street, came before the planning committee. Concerns were expressed about ‘teeny tiny rooms’. The application wasn’t approved, but deferred. It came back before the committee again during the course of the year.

Also in April, the floodlights at Bootham Crescent came on for the final time. Those of us living close to the ground perhaps thought that we’d already seen the last dimming of the lights before that, with the disruptions caused by Covid meaning that there wasn’t an obvious farewell game. For those of us who cared, fans, and neighbours, this final switch-on was significant and important. And also very nicely done. (As reported in yorkmix.com.)

In May … oh lovely May. I had some notes about things I could include, but …

Clifton Park, May 2021

… it was May, and it was green and lovely, as it always is.

I wrote a flurry of pages back in May.

In June, the plans for student accommodation on the former Plumbase site on Fawcett Street were back with the planning committee. Though the officer report recommended approval, the committee voted to refuse.

In July, after their last switch on back in April, the Bootham Crescent floodlights came down. Lowered slowly onto the now meadow-like long grass of the pitch. Such a familiar part of the skyline, and so familiar to me after so long living nearby. It took some time to adjust to their absence.

In August, the Press reported that a new area of woodland near Knapton in York was to be named York Community Woodland. It’s a place I’ve wanted to cover here on York Stories but haven’t got around to yet. More information on this link.

In September, plans for the former Plumbase site on Fawcett Street were back with the planning committee again …

Away from the buildings, I find I appreciate more and more a walk by the Foss, and had a pleasant stomp down this way in September.

By the Foss, 10 September 2021

In October, plans for the closure and redevelopment of part of the Barnitts shop on Colliergate were approved, having been deferred at an earlier planning committee meeting.

The Barnitts store on Colliergate remains, and clearly that’s the most important thing.

Early on, I looked at the plans to turn the former Drill Hall into townhouses and apartments, and it looked like just another development of more cramped housing with not much light, which was a bit disappointing. It has been suggested to me that it would make a good music venue. Makes sense. We’re rather lacking in those now, here in York. But perhaps not financially viable.

In November, plans for more student accommodation went to the area planning sub-committee. On this occasion, not in the former Plumbase premises on Fawcett Street, but at the Castle Howard Ox pub on Townend Street, off Clarence Street. The application was refused, despite the officer recommendation to approve.

Moving on to November. In November, and at many other times through this year (and previous years), I walked through Bootham Park.

Bootham Park, November 2021

I was trying to get a better sense of the plans for its redevelopment, as discussed in a page earlier this year, particularly in regard to the loss of trees, and what looks like an unreasonable amount of car parking proposed, for a site so close to the city centre.

In December, the planning committee approved plans for the Cocoa West development, as mentioned on the previous page.

The same committee meeting discussed a planning application for the former Mecca Bingo building on Fishergate – replacing it with purpose built student accommodation – 276 rooms. The application was deferred.

Presumably still a lot of money to be made from providing purpose-built student accommodation, hence the high number of applications still coming in, for various sites, and the way that the former Plumbase plans kept coming back through the year.

Away from the buildings, sidling gently into December’s quietness and its winter skies, and the tree branches against them. In December, doing my best to appreciate all the local and good things, as I always try to do, I had a walk up to Clifton Park to hug a couple of old beech trees and watch the sunset to the west.

Clifton Park, December 2021

. . . . . .

Thanks to everyone who has supported the site this year with virtual coffees, and added comments with information and memories. I also appreciate the good work of the local journalists and local democracy reporters who have so helpfully covered the many planning applications this year and continue to keep us all informed.

Best wishes to everyone for 2022.

The post Review of the year, 2021 appeared first on York Stories.

Sunset across the Ouse and flooded Clifton ings, Feb 2020

As the year of 2020 draws to a close, I thought I’d bring together a few thoughts/observations. Not my traditional ‘review of the year in pictures’. Partly because this year has been particularly strange, and partly because I don’t have enough photos.

Earlier this year, in February, I walked along a flood bank not far from an overflowing Ouse. By the side of the large ings area in Clifton, where I’ve lived for so many years. I’ve witnessed so many floods, and yet still felt very aware of the energy and power of that massive volume of water from the Ouse, oozing out so far beyond its conventional boundaries. Generally I’ve observed the flood waters from Clifton Bridge or nearby, or in the city centre, but here, a short way upstream, it was still quite a shock to see/hear the movement of it, all this water coming down, lapping the floodbanks, moving, noisy.

On Rawcliffe Meadows I looked at elements of the local landscape I’ve grown to know and love and thought about how the Environment Agency’s flood defence work in this area would remove them, and how perhaps I might not want to walk up here for quite a long time while that was happening, and after it had happened, all that gouging out and filling in.

Flood waters, Rawcliffe Meadows, 24 Feb 2020

I walked back along the top of the floodbank as quickly as I could, as it felt like the water coming in from upstream would perhaps reach the top before I got to the gate giving access to the dry side.

It felt like these ings of ours were taking in too much. And that perhaps (probably) it was to do with the cumulative effects of things happening on higher ground, upstream.

But also in February, in the floods, I appreciated, again, one of the city’s major enhancements of recent years.

Scarborough Bridge – so close to the station, so important – used to be out of action anytime there were flood waters on the riverside paths leading up to its steps. Which was quite often.

Signs on flooded riverside paths, by Scarborough Bridge, Feb 2020

Not these days. What a massive change it has made, that Scarborough Bridge is now accessible even when the riverside paths are under the flood water.

On Scarborough Bridge, above the flooded Ouse, Feb 2020

I’ve mentioned it a few times before, this important river crossing, but make no apologies for mentioning it again. It should have been improved so long ago, and took so much work and skill and time to do, so important to remember to recognise this. Just one blessing to count, in a year when it was particularly important to count our blessings.

…..

Then, not long after the floods – which are of course a regular occurrence – came something not ‘regular’ at all, something unprecedented.

It’s easy to forget, with everything that has happened since, that the media, back then, reported the first UK coronavirus cases being discovered here in York, at the beginning of February. For a time that didn’t seem to have a huge impact, with the City of York Council leader saying that York was still “open to residents and visitors from all over the world.”

Then, of course, a dramatic change, in late March. I still have on my phone the text sent out by the government, which I’ve just looked at again, and still find it as chilling as I did then.

‘GOV.UK CORONAVIRUS ALERT
New rules are in force now: you must stay at home.’

We were of course advised to get some exercise and fresh air, and thankfully, by the springtime, the cow parsley was flowering exuberantly all over, just as it always does.

14 May 2020, Clifton

And children were making cheerful rainbows for front windows. And chalking on pavements. As Ben did, on Burton Stone Lane.

Burton Stone Lane, 20 April 2020

I didn’t feel like writing, and even when I did, didn’t manage to finish any piece of writing to a state where I could publish it online.

I concentrated on growing veg, and learning more about edible plants, and herbs, and spent as much time as possible in my own back garden, or walking through the local streets, looking at the drawings of rainbows in people’s windows, and thinking about how much land that could be growing food isn’t being used for that purpose, and how interesting and useful it would be if it was used that way. More on that story later perhaps.

I read a lot online, about the pandemic, about its effects, both locally and nationally, and beyond, but with my main focus being here, York, where some things still carried on as normal. Planning applications still went through the system, including the application to build housing on the football ground at Bootham Crescent, which was approved by the planning committee. An application for the adjacent Duncombe Barracks site was submitted in recent months. There’s a nice display of information about it on the boundary of the site, on Burton Stone Lane.

Information boards, on the plans for housing on the Duncombe Barracks site, Dec 2020

This looks like an interesting and thoughtful proposal for local housing, and reading about it on the display boards cheered me up, made me feel hopeful.

Another cheering thing, earlier this month, was a brief visit to Parliament Street. It had its Christmas lights and carousel, but wasn’t covered with the sheds for the Christmas market, and the “festive queuing and shuffling” (as the Press memorably described it, last December).

Carousel on Parliament Street, 23 Dec 2020

I noticed a very pleasant atmosphere as I crossed the area to go to the bank. A bit of music, some food available, enough people around for it to feel cheery, but so different from the hectic bustle we’ve become accustomed to in recent years. Something I wrote about in December last year, wondering if we’d reached ‘overtourism‘.

This year, of course – particularly the first ‘lockdown’ – brought a pause in that growth of tourism. There had been many complaints in recent years about the growing number of stag and hen parties, now paused by the pandemic. Too many tourists in general? Not any more.

Also in December last year I wrote about Coney Street, and how it was clearly reflecting changes in shopping habits, with so many empty shops, and those stores that seemed too large for the 21st century. It seems that this year has seen the end of several larger chains.

It has been interesting to see more focus on the local networks of people helping each other, more small local businesses being able to deliver what people needed, quickly.

I’ve wondered for some time now how much of what we think of as ‘our city’ is owned by those who care about York in particular, how much of it by the more distant investment/pension companies, etc. Much of the future of the city would be guided by who owns its various properties, its various parcels of land, and what they want to use those properties, that land, for.

It was very interesting to read, this week, an article in the Press which may have slipped under the radar a bit with everything else that’s going on. City will evolve after pandemic reports that “a number of city centre properties – often large vacant shops – have been sold off by pension fund owners and bought by local developers.”

“In York we are seeing the days of generic high streets and buildings owned by remote multi billion pound funds is dying. We have seen a big movement this year of properties moving into the investment of local investors who have the interest and the passion to see the city thrive.”

– Max Reeves, Helmsley Group

A fairly positive note to end this on, I think.

– – – – –

I hope we all managed to find some brightness in this rather dark and difficult year.

I’ve seen so many people in online comments being so quick to judge others, for different approaches to the situation we’ve found ourselves in. I feel bad for young people, and hope that the atmosphere of fear, and the curtailments of their freedoms haven’t turned them into old people too quickly. I hope that the new year will bring more compassion, consideration of others, acceptance of other people’s points of view, and a more thoughtful and careful treatment of the natural, vital, world around us.

Best wishes to everyone for 2021.

Sunset across the Ouse, 31 Dec 2020

The post Review of the year, 2020 appeared first on York Stories.

Rawcliffe Meadows and Clifton ings, Jan 2019

I thought I’d do the traditional review of the year. In December I like to see photos from sunnier days earlier in the year, and I thought you might like to too, dear reader.

It also gives me the opportunity to mention a couple of things I didn’t get around to mentioning during a year when (until the December Daily postings) I haven’t added much to these pages.

There are a couple of months in the autumn where I don’t have any photos of York. I do seem to have a lot of photos of my vegetable harvest, which I thought about including, but decided against it, in favour of instead including an extra photo for a couple of months when an extra photo seemed appropriate.

So, on we go, across the ridge and furrow, in the sunlight of January 2019.

Ridge and furrow, Clifton Park, Jan 2019

There’s some very prominent ridge and furrow in Clifton Park (grounds of former Clifton Hospital) and its undulations are particularly prominent in winter.

In February, on a pleasant sunny afternoon, I sat on a bench in the Museum Gardens for a while and watched a squirrel among the crocuses. (I think it was eating them.)

Squirrel and crocuses, Feb 2019

In March, and not far away, I admired, not for the first time, the choice of plants in a raised bed at the back of the art gallery.

Behind the art gallery, March 2019

At the start of the year, the York Press reported that the long-established Ernest Roy Electricals (known as Ernie Roy’s) was for sale. (It has since closed.) When I dashed past one day in April I had to backtrack after noticing the notes around the letterbox, which I felt I had to have a photo of.

Door signs, Ernie Roy’s, April 2019

There had clearly been a problem here with people putting batteries through the letterbox. There’s a handwritten note above it politely asking people not to do that, then underneath it a rather more exasperated note – NO BATTERIES – which has an added drawing of a battery to emphasise the point further.

Was it, I wonder, just one person annoyingly posting batteries through the letterbox? Or lots of people? If so, why? (And are they still doing it, even though it’s now a bookshop?)

I wrote about Ernie Roy’s a few years back. More here. With best wishes to Ken Devey in his retirement.

On to lovely May, and a big expanse of green, out on the stray.

Cow parsley and new green leaves, Bootham Stray, May 2019

Quite often, in June, in the yearly review in years past, I’ve included a photo of something lovely, summery, flowery or bright.

This year, I’m afraid it’s Ryedale House.

Ryedale House, across the Foss, June 2019

Across the Foss, with a substantial buddleia forest in the foreground, and the new-look Ryedale House being unveiled, in all its glory, on the other side of the river.

In July I went to an exhibition of plans for the proposed ‘Roman Quarter’, on Rougier Street, and later went for a wander in the area to take some photos.

As is so often the case, I particularly appreciated the spire of All Saints, North Street, rising up above the buildings old and new in the streets below, and catching, holding, the evening light.

Tanner Row, and All Saints spire, July 2019

On my way home, along the riverside, I particularly liked the way the Guildhall and the Minster behind looked in that particular light, on that particular evening, over the top of the (rather more recent) brickwork of the flood defence wall.

Guildhall and Minster, July 2019

In contrast to the above, in August, the gloomy canyon of Rougier Street.

Rougier Street, August 2019

Several of the buildings here would be demolished to make way for the proposed Roman Quarter.

Back to the sunny outskirts of the city, in September, and a new section of cycle track skirting part of the outer ring road:

New cycle track by ringroad, near Knapton, Sept 2019

So pleased about this, so happy to discover it over the summer when expecting to have to get off the bike and walk across the ring road when gaps in the traffic allowed it.

By September I’d used it a few times. It includes an underpass under the ring road.

New cycle track underpass, from the Knapton side, Sept 2019

There’s a bit of a gap in available images at this point, in October and November, with no photos of York to offer. My apologies.

I could share with you photos of my vegetable harvest, and you could all sing ‘Oh, what a beauty, I’ve never seen one as big as that before! Oh what a beauty …’ – etc (as I generally can’t help doing when admiring an impressive piece of home-grown produce.)

… But let’s just move on to December, just yesterday, and a brief walk in the December sun, looking at lichen, among other things.

Lichen on tree bark, Bootham Stray, 30 Dec 2019

At this time of the year, lichen brightens, stands out in the otherwise rather muted landscape.

On the way back home, after looking at lichen, I remembered that the mahonia might be in bloom in a snicket near Crichton Avenue bridge. As indeed it was.

Mahonia avenue, snicket by Crichton Ave bridge, Dec 2019

Quite a stunning display, just now.

Not many things flower at this time of the year, and what does flower you don’t expect to find in such glorious profusion in a place that perhaps isn’t much frequented by many people.

But some time back, for some reason, someone planted a large number of mahonia here, on either side of the railings on a section of a snicket near Burton Stone Lane, leading up to the bridge at Crichton Avenue.

As it’s flowering at this time of the year, and as it looks so impressive, and has a scent too, I think it might be a particular variety called  ‘Charity‘.

I have one, but the sparrows pecked the buds off mine, and it looks a rather sad. That was a bit annoying, but I have to be charitable, and think that the resident sparrows must have needed some nutrition it perhaps provides, to keep them cheeping and chirping.

As we go into 2020, I hope you’re all cheeping and chirping.

And if not I hope you find charity, and kindness.

As I did, five years back, and many times before, and since. And as many other people do, every year, from so many good people, so many good actions, so many small things.

Best wishes for 2020 — and though it probably makes me sound like a dated old hippy — I do want to wish you all — love, charity, light, and peace.

The post Review of the year, 2019 appeared first on York Stories.

7 January 2018, Clifton Park

It appears to be time for a review of the year, and in fact I probably should have published it some days ago … to give enough time for anyone who’s interested to find it and read it. Do people read reviews of the year after 31 December? I hope so.

Having looked back at the year’s pages, and through photos I’ve taken, I wanted to include some images not yet included, and follow up on a few things mentioned in past months that are due an update.

The year started with the news that the old Groves Chapel might become a Co-op. Indeed it did (see below). I was concerned about trees that might be felled. Thankfully they weren’t. I also focused on several buildings in and around Marygate, including the Post Office Social club.

Sign in passageway, Post Office Social Club, Marygate, 21 Feb 2018

Just across the road from there I had a late winter wander around the recently established edible wood, behind the art gallery. And in early spring, went on a wider wander looking for interesting things. A couple of images of the church of St Mary, Bishophill, were included, of spring light through its windows and on its handsome open door.

Inside the church I also took photos of the box where food could be donated for the local foodbank.

Foodbank collection in St Mary’s church, Bishophill, 13 March 2018

It speaks for itself, this photo, I think.

We all need groceries, and since April this year, as discussed at the time, the new Co-op in the refurbished Groves Chapel has offered a welcome alternative to the usual Sainsbury’s/Spar shops in this part of town.

Groves Chapel: now Clarence St Co-op, 5 April 2018

May’s page focused on fountains, one on Parliament Street and another on Museum Street.

Also in May, out on Bootham Stray …

Sheep and lambs on Bootham Stray, 20 May 2018

Rather a surprise, a very pleasant one, to find sheep and lambs on the stray, something I’ve not noticed before. All calm and comfy, under the green and leafy trees.

Back towards the city centre, in June. To a skyline where cranes loom over the valuable city centre land so many want to build on and profit from.

Black Swan, between a building site and a veg bed, 20 June 2018

The historic Black Swan inn on Peasholme Green, with a building site behind it, on one edge of the Hungate area development, with a Moxy hotel being built. Across the road from it, closer to us, a couple sitting in the sun on one edge of a raised bed that has for some years now been one of the Edible York veg beds. Peasholme Green is green again, at least in this bit. As a sign explained …

Edible York bed, Peaseholme Green, 20 June 2018

The city fills up with huge hotels and unaffordable apartments and the cranes dot the sky as outside investors buy up bits of it and build their hotels and apartments as high as they can, to make maximum profit from the bits of land available. I’ve found it preferable to focus as much as possible on the good things growing from the ground up, smaller, local. Like the Edible York veg beds, or the creativity of Bloom York — as covered back in July. Here’s a reminder:

Decorated Etty, Bloom York, in Exhibition Square, 7 July 2018

In August I had a proper look at Stonebow House (again), and specifically its redevelopment, all that new glass, the remodeling and the reflections. An important change, in the general gentrifying of York.

Still, some views stayed much the same.

View under Scarborough Bridge, towards Lendal Bridge, 29 Aug 2018

A particularly pleasing bit of local news came in late August. I didn’t cover it at the time, but was delighted to see this on the planning portal, on the Carlton Tavern planning application.

APPEAL DISMISSED (Carlton Tavern, 22 August 2018)

Appeal dismissed and costs refused. Excellent.

I’d always been led to believe that when a developer appeals against a planning decision the developer invariably wins. When I saw that there was an appeal by Crown Care against the Carlton Tavern decision, I assumed that they’d win the appeal, and be able to go ahead with demolition. But no. So presumably that’s the end of it, that long-running and rather complicated saga, which I wrote about a few times. Well done to everyone who campaigned against the proposed demolition.

In September, the first plans for the redevelopment of the football ground went on show, and I wrote about that at some length. I also went for a walk in Homestead Park, watched the Mystery Plays, and through September and October covered a few other local sites including Bootham Park and Duncombe Barracks.

Back to the flowers, and a quiet moment in Dean’s Park, in September.

Sunflower. with heart … by Minster library, Dean’s Park, 9 Sept 2018

There were quite a few sunflowers, in raised beds by the Minster Library. This one had a distinctive heart shape in its centre.

It was a lovely hot proper summer. In celebration of that, let’s stay with the flowers.

By Blue Bridge, 10 Oct 2018

Warm days in autumn too. On 10 October I wandered towards the city centre and beyond it, and sat for a while by the Blue Bridge, in warm sunshine, admiring again the patch of flowers planted here, and in particular the ones that had escaped into the cracks in the nearby stonework, where they were happily blooming.

I’ve been keeping an eye on happenings and changes on Piccadilly, where the conversion of the old Ryedale House office block to residential is underway. Its vast bulk was covered when I walked past in October.

Ryedale House development, Piccadilly, 10 Oct 2018

There are other planning applications going through the system at present for the sites alongside it, so a revisit to Piccadilly may be a good idea at some point.

In November I wrote about the demolition of Hudson House, and the history of the site. But of course, in November 2018, I was also thinking about the past, about Remembrance, about November 1918.  On 11 November I went into the city centre to spend a few quiet moments among the poppies.

Handmade poppies, All Saints, Pavement, 11 Nov 2018

I’d read about the poppies on the church of All Saints, Pavement, and seen photos. The photos didn’t really capture what it was like seeing them for real, and my photo above doesn’t do them justice either. I headed up High Ousegate, towards the side of the church, from the Spurriergate end, late in the afternoon. The sun was low, but still bright. The red poppies, cascading down, held so many shades of red, and seemed to glow. I thought it was the way the sunlight illuminated them. Staring long enough, I realised that it wasn’t just that, but that the depth of colour was because of the way the many contributors had interpreted ‘poppy red’. These carefully crafted beautiful things were a range of reds, and when all brought together were a rainbow of red. It wouldn’t have been the same if everyone had gone off with exactly the same yarn to make a poppy. There’s some kind of message in that, perhaps.

We need to move on to December, but let’s do that via another photo taken on 11 November, on my way back home. Late light on the Minster, from Exhibition Square. Despite the many times of horror and trauma in our lives in the muck and mud down here we’ve always managed to build light-catching things that reach for the sky, in our many and multi-skilled ways.

Minster in late afternoon sun, 11 Nov 2018

In December, this month, I wrote about Queen Street bridge, about Scarborough Bridge, and work on the new mental health facility on Haxby Road.

Not written about yet, but also noticed this month, is the work on the site of the old fire station on Clifford Street, which incorporates the front of the former chapel on Peckitt Street.

Chapel front and new build, Peckitt Street, 12 Dec 2018

The old chapel incorporated some fancy detailing, which the new build behind it has copied, in part. More later perhaps.

From fancy detailing, to …

Parliament Street, 25 Dec 2018

… sheds. But not just any old sheds. York’s Christmas market. On Christmas Day it was of course closed, but has apparently been very busy this year. On the lumpy bumpiness and strange slopes of Parliament Street the Christmas sheds and the Thor’s tent huddled wonkily together, below the Marks and Spencer’s clock and the plane trees.

In a place where so much money had been spent, in the run-up to Christmas, I found this official sign to be a rather jarring juxtaposition.

On the Christmas sheds, Parliament Street, 25 Dec 2018

Coney Street was quiet, which was good, as it meant I could take photos and stand and look at it properly, as I’ve been meaning to do for some time and couldn’t have contemplated doing on a normal busy shopping day.

Coney Street, 25 Dec 2018

Change here, as everywhere. And perhaps more on that later.

For now, I’d just like to say thanks to you dear readers for your interesting comments, local insights, thoughtful emails, and virtual coffees throughout the year.

Best wishes for 2019.

. . . . .

This resident’s record of York and its changes continues to try to present a personal angle on this city and its development. Thanks to everyone who has supported it over the course of the year(s). If you’d like to support York Stories, your virtual coffees help with that, thank you.

The post Review of the year, 2018 appeared first on York Stories.

Trees at the edge of Rawcliffe Meadows, 29 Jan 2017

I’ve just been reviewing my reviews of the year, as we approach the end of 2017. These have taken different forms since I first thought they might be a nice addition, back in 2012, starting with just photos to illustrate each month and later expanding to include more text. This year I thought I’d include a selection of what I hope will be cheering or interesting photos, then follow that with some observations on what has happened to various buildings and with various plans over the course of this year, as looking back at this year’s archive of pages has made me realise what an interesting year it has been in terms of things I’ve focused on here on York Stories.

The photos, one for each month, never made it online at the time, though most of them were taken as possible illustrations for a half-planned page, as I haven’t been able to add to the site as often this year.

The first photo, above, was taken on a lovely sunny weekend afternoon in late January when the ings and Rawcliffe Meadows were full of people out walking and cycling.

Some charming green places within the city centre too of course, including the garden at St Anthony’s Hall on Peasholme Green.

Sensory garden, Peasholme Green, 28 Feb 2017

Back in the Clifton area, the splendidly colourful planting in Homestead Park, pictured here in early March.

Homestead Park, 9 March 2017

Another Rowntree gift to the people of York, and always beautifully maintained. I’ve written about it before, some years back. (A whole decade back, I realise, checking that link. Blimey.)

As we’re currently in the gloomy muddy days of late December I reckon what we need to see are some springtime lambs lit by evening sunlight, in April. So here you go:

Lambs, Poppleton, 23 April 2017

A very enjoyable walk past the church at Nether Poppleton and along part of the riverside, after catching a train from York station to Poppleton.

Another fine evening took me on a cycle ride to Fulford, to the Germany Beck development. I wondered if a wonderful old hedge I’d admired the year before was still there. It was. I spent quite a while taking photos here, trying to get the evening sun coming through its branches just right.

Old hedge alongside the Germany Beck development, 25 May 2017

And I hope it remains there, though the land nearby will be churned up and covered with houses.

Back in the city centre, one weekend in June, I looked out from the balcony at the back of the art gallery for the first time, over the area where the wartime hostel buildings used to be.

Behind the art gallery, from its balcony, 25 June 2017

It was nice to have the opportunity, as a York resident, to visit the art gallery for free, on the Open Weekend for residents. The first time I’ve been since the refurbished gallery opened and charges for entry were introduced. I hope that the Open Weekend is going to be an annual event.

Since I’ve been taking photos of York and writing about it here on these pages many new buildings have appeared. One of the most interesting areas of new build is in the Hungate development area, off Stonebow and Peasholme Green. I’ve written about the area many times, and viewed the new buildings from the front. But it was only this July that I got around to walking round the back, along a path through a green area by the Foss, emerging at the end to this view, which I found rather pleasing.

Black Horse Lane (Hungate area), 3 July 2017

We’re looking towards the back of the Hiscox building. Apparently this new little street is called Black Horse Lane. A nice bit of streetscape, I thought.

Rather less successful, when I visited it in August, the recently constructed section of path by another bit of the Foss, further out of town.

Riverside path, behind the new Layerthorpe hotel, 14 August 2017

It’s behind the new hotel on Layerthorpe, and is as I understand it meant to be part of a riverside walkway. It might since have been connected up with the bit on the other side, but the two bits of tarmac path didn’t quite meet, and rather more importantly there was a big steel fence between the two sections. I hope the situation has since been resolved, otherwise it’s a rather pointless bit of path.

Let’s dash back to Homestead Park for the September photo, and look at something nice.

Homestead Park, 24 Sept 2017

A new ‘Circle Garden’ area near the Water End entrance is backed by an ironwork screen containing clear panels featuring verses from poems. Beautifully done. (More information on the JRHT website.)

From a quiet and peaceful place to something a bit more noisy.

Carousel in King’s Square, 30 Oct 2017

This carousel appeared in King’s Square in late October, for a week or two. One evening on a dash into town to the bank I encountered it when emerging from the end of Newgate into King’s Square, and loved the way the light and noise filled the space. I’ve seen the same carousel in other places, but it’s never seemed as cheering and joyful as it was when in King’s Square. I made a little video clip too, so you can hear the children on it laughing.

In November, on Remembrance Sunday, I called in to Holy Trinity on Goodramgate to look for this memorial, after receiving an email about it.

First World War memorial, Holy Trinity Goodramgate, 12 Nov 2017

Accompanying information explained that the Bedern Boys listed on the memorial all attended the Bedern National School in the run-up to the First World War. Volunteers are attempting to identify all these men and find out more about what happened to them. (Contact Becki on volunteers@holytrinityyork.org.uk if you can help.)

Looking back on the year, over my archive of pages, I can think of several rather cheering things, from the point of view of this particular observer of local goings-on, changes and plans and planning applications.

In this year, back in March, plans to demolish interesting buildings of local heritage interest on Ordnance Lane were abandoned. Excellent news.

A site was chosen for the new mental health facility to replace Bootham Park Hospital. Plans were submitted, and approved. The new building doesn’t involve demolishing any heritage assets, and is located on a brownfield site in a green and pleasant setting.

Work has begun this winter on the Community Stadium site. Yes, it’s been a long time, and I can’t quite believe it either, so let’s re-emphasise that: work has begun on the Community Stadium site. Not something I’ve written about this year, but I’ve attempted to tackle the subject in the past, and I know that many football and rugby fans are very pleased to see signs that actual construction is soon to begin.

Plans to replace the dated and difficult Scarborough Bridge pedestrian part with something more accessible to all pedestrians and people using two wheels seem to have moved on to the point where it looks more likely to happen. This is a genuinely exciting thing and long overdue. While compiling this page I’ve checked the online planning portal and can see that there’s an actual planning application, submitted just before Christmas. Fantastic news. More on this story later, perhaps.

The original (rather crass and destructive) plan to put the York Central access road in from Holgate Road has had a rethink and a public consultation, and a route in from Water End is now preferred, as reported in the Press. Presumably as a result of public pressure and ardent campaigning (and perhaps also a different council administration … ?)

The work done by the Castle Gateway project has been another highlight of this year. Personally, because of other concerns and commitments, I’ve not had any input into it beyond writing pages prompted by it, but it has been so pleasing to see so many views gathered and so much good work done, proper interest in remodeling the area in as wise and sensitive a way as possible.

The Carlton Tavern decision earlier this month was a cheering thing indeed. On many levels.

And a minor detail, and heard rather than seen, and I’m not quite sure when it was exactly during this year that it started again — the Minster bells ringing on Tuesday evenings, the weekly practice happening again, after difficulties and silence for a time. I hadn’t realised just how much I missed that sound until I opened the back door one Tuesday evening and heard it again, faint and far away, but reaching far, as it always does.

We can look back on the year of 2017 from various angles, and personally for me it has been quite a difficult one at times, in recent months. But here we’re focusing on York, this particular place, and its heritage, and its green places, and what makes it the place that it is. There are good things happening everywhere, including in small ways, energetic groups of residents working hard to make things better, to improve their local patches.

On the previous page, a few days back, I left you with too many images of mud in the Museum Gardens. I felt a bit bad about this. So went back, lifted my head up, and looked instead at the late afternoon sun on St Mary’s Abbey.

St Mary’s Abbey, 28 Dec 2017

All best wishes for the new year, dear readers, and thank you for your continued interest in York Stories.

I’m off to read planning application documents, powered by recent virtual coffees from kind supporters.

If you’re curious about where some of the photos were taken, can’t quite place them, there’s an accompanying Google map.

The post 2017 review of the year appeared first on York Stories.

10 January 2016: Ouse in flood, by Clifton Bridge

Time for the traditional look back on the year, via photos I’ve taken in York. Some were connected with pages that appeared on this site, many of them weren’t included at the time but were taken on various undocumented wanderings.

The year started with floods, a continuation of the Boxing Day floods, with the rivers still high. An overflowing Ouse, pictured above, is a common sight. The river is normally on the left of the line of trees. In flood it moves out into the area on the right, as here. The failure of the Foss barrier after our reliance on it for several decades focused our minds on the effects of the huge amount of water passing through our defences, and what happens when they fail. The disastrous failure of the Foss barrier was understandably the focus of attention, but the houses in the Leeman Road area, visible on the right of the photo, didn’t flood. They did back in 1978. We improve things, slowly.

In February, in recognition of the fact that I really should contribute my thoughts to the consultation on the plans for York Central, I wandered around the Railway Institute buildings, and took photos of these remnants of the city’s railway heritage, including this (listed) water tank, to the right of the photo below.

16 February 2016: Railway Institute building and water tank

March saw the reappearance of the daffodils around the city walls. Here on my side of town they’re usually a bit later than on the sunnier south-facing slopes.

29 March 2016: daffodils in flower by the walls, Lord Mayor’s Walk

Here on Lord Mayor’s Walk we have a well-used ‘desire line’ through what in later spring is full of cow parsley. At one end of this moat area we’ve seen a tree chopped down for reasons unclear, next to a new house being built on what was the Monk Bar garage site. Both have altered this small and charming green space, but I hope that what remains is treated with respect and that we’re asked about any proposed changes to it. Several times in recent years I’ve heard that there may be plans to ‘enhance’ these areas by the city walls which are seen as ‘underused’. The muddy line through the middle of this one shows that it is well-used, by people who live nearby or people passing through the area who prefer its green calmness to the nearby busy road. After the reaction to the proposed changes to Clifford’s Tower I hope we will see full and clear consultation on any proposals to change the areas around the city walls.

Moving on to April, and a photo I took from the Museum Gardens in appreciation of an interesting group of buildings visible from this viewpoint:

26 April 2016: a pleasing collection of buildings from different periods

Medieval, 19th century and 20th century, with a 21st century development/redevelopment in the middle of it: the back of the St Leonard’s Place redevelopment, with a new build part at the back, near the library. I’ve passed by here many times over the course of this year and on one occasion had an interesting chat with one of the construction workers. That was on a Sunday, suggesting that there has been a bit of pressure to get it finished and habitable. Work continues on the Museum St end of the development, and it’s all felt a bit frantic when you pass. Not visible on the photo above is the state of Library Square, missing bits of its recently laid expensive stone, patched with tarmac. I hope this will be reinstated as soon as possible, replacing the stone with the blocks originally lifted, rather than spending our money on buying yet more …

And onto May … green leaves, giddiness, and morris dancing. Hurrah.

1 May 2016: Ebor Morris on the city walls

Here’s Ebor Morris on the city walls, on a jolly day of dancing, to welcome the start of May.

In June I took some photos from the accessible areas of Stonebow House, down the street of Stonebow, across the Hungate redevelopment area:

6 June 2016: view from Stonebow House across the Hungate area developments

The Hiscox building on the left with the top of the Foss Islands chimney poking up behind it, the residential build and an in-progress residential build in the centre, and St John Central (student accommodation) to the right. Some greenery here too — an area of carefully landscaped garden around the marketing suite, and a healthy wilderness of buddleia forest in the ’empty’ site in the middle.

Moving on to a photo taken in July of ‘York’s most hated building’. I’d taken photos from it in the previous month (see above), but news of its imminent recladding/remodelling made me think I should take a few more photos before the changes.

11 July 2016: Stonebow House and A-boards advertising businesses in Fossgate

In the foreground, A-boards advertising businesses down Fossgate. In summer the council announced plans to ban them from city centre streets. There was much debate about this and I thought about doing something on the subject here on York Stories, but veered off onto other things and forgot all about it.

From the urban pavements to greenery in August, a tree providing cool shade and beautiful scent from these clusters of small flowers.

5 August 2016: Tilia (lime) in flower, Museum Gardens

Recognise it? If not, you may have noticed its scent when passing. It’s in the Museum Gardens, the large and splendid Tilia — or Tilia tomentosa ‘Petiolaris’ (Silver Pendent Lime), to give it its full and proper name — at the bottom end of the large area of grass in the middle part of the gardens, near to the Starr Inn in the corner. It’s such a beautiful tree, one I’ve appreciated more over the years, having first admired its characterful trunk and thick old roots raised above the ground it’s planted in. Some years ago I noticed its scent in the summer. By August its flowering was fading, but there were still a few low blooms for us to sniff. I noticed a lady come in and pick a few, and walk out again, thoughtfully, purposefully, in a discreet kind of way. It seemed polite to pretend I hadn’t noticed, so I did that, while wondering about the story behind it, where she was taking the small scented bunch. Home, or to a friend in need of cheering up? Or perhaps to paint them. I’ll never know. But anyway …

On to September, and a view taken from the city walls in the Bishophill area, looking outwards, out of town towards the Southbank area.

4 September 2016: from the city walls, view across to the former Terry’s factory

I felt a very strong ‘sense of place’ looking out over these buildings, towards the Terry’s factory building. I’ve always tended to think of Terry’s as being quite far out of town, but from this vantage point it looks close, and from here it rises above the roofs of terraced housing and 20th century housing, with a relatively modern red-brick church in there too, and a good number of tall mature trees visible. A very pleasing view, I thought.

October saw me wandering out of town, down by the Foss, which was back to being shallow and narrow and calm:

22 October 2016: by the Foss

So narrow and shallow it barely seems to deserve the ‘River’ part of its name. Here the gardens of the houses on Huntington Road show that the residents appreciate their river access, most of the time.

Then the clocks went back, as they do, and the autumn nights were drawing in, and sometimes I found myself wandering at dusk, like on this evening, when I stopped on the new footbridge over the Foss.

15 November 2016: from the Foss footbridge, in the Hungate redevelopment area

The spire of St Mary’s Castlegate is visible in the distance, behind bare branches, with the setting sun behind. Rowntree Wharf on the left, the new build residential block on the right, and the river below us and stretching ahead, heading for its confluence with the Ouse. Isn’t ‘confluence’ a lovely word, and ‘confluence with the Ouse’ a lovely phrase. Let’s try to remember the good things about living in a city built around these rivers.

And for December, let’s have two photos, and first off let’s head for the bars. No, not that kind — the stone ones. Specifically, Bootham Bar:

21 December 2016: York Waits and the ‘Sheriff’s Riding’, St Thomas’s Day proclamations

Pictured above on 21 December, which was the winter solstice, but also apparently St Thomas’s Day, though I didn’t know that until something on social media drew my attention to it, and a happening that was about to happen at the city’s bars. Dashing down Bootham we were in time to witness this fine sight above, and hear the York Waits playing. There’s more on this on a separate page.

A second photo for December, taken that same evening, on the way back home:

21 December 2016: York Minster from Minster Gates

The Minster from Minster Gates, with light from inside illuminating the Rose Window.

We reach the end of 2016 with the situation regarding bellringing in the Minster still apparently unresolved. But let’s focus on the beauty of what we can see rather than feeling angry or upset over what we can’t hear, and hope for better things in 2017, darkness lit by light, and sad silence giving way to joyful sounds.

Best wishes to you for 2017.

To peruse all pages published in 2016, see yorkstories.co.uk/archives.

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