This comes after the council carried forward a pot of funding into the current financial year.
More than £80,000 is to be used to help South Lanarkshire residents who are struggling to meet their housing costs.
Advertisement
This comes after the council carried forward a pot of funding into the current financial year.
The £81,000 in discretionary housing payment funding was received later than expected in 2025/26 and has now been transferred to reserves to be spent in 2026/27, ensuring the money reaches those who need it most.
Discretionary housing payments are additional payouts made by councils to people who receive Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit but are still left with a shortfall in their rent.
They act as a financial lifeline for some of the most vulnerable households — including those affected by the bedroom tax, families fleeing domestic abuse, and people at risk of losing their home due to temporary financial crisis.
Advertisement
The transfer was confirmed at South Lanarkshire Council’s recent finance and corporate resources committee, where the council’s head of finance Lorraine O’Hagan presented the year-end revenue budget monitoring report for 2025/26.
She told the committee: “We had two year-end transfers that were approved in relation to discretionary housing payment funding which we can carry forward and spend in the current financial year, and also place-based funding for committed projects, again which will carry forward and be spent in 2026/27.”
The discretionary housing payment transfer formed part of a broader £578,000 underspend recorded by the finance and corporate resources department at the end of 2025/26.
O’Hagan confirmed the overall position was exactly as forecast, saying: “This is in line with our probable outturn position where we had an underspend of £578,000 and this was reported as part of the final position approved by executive committee last week.”
Advertisement
The report and proposed budget transfers were approved by councillors.
* Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share!
The 33-year old was then charged with murdering Stephen Holmes on February 8, 2025 and when asked how he pleaded, McCrossan replied “not guilty.”
Advertisement
After his client was arraigned, a defence barrister told Madam Justice McBride a medic has been engaged to carry out an assessment and report on McCrossan.
The barrister revealed the doctor and McCrossan have met twice and that the “only matter” now delaying the report was that the medic “wants to explore the previous criminal record” of the accused.
He added that the doctor has “indicated to us that he will have the report with us within a matter of weeks once he receives that.”
Advertisement
McCrossan’s barrister also told Madam Justice McBride that once the medical report is received, it may have a “potential knock-on effect in terms of the defence statement.”
In response, a Crown barrister told the Judge that the prosecution “may need” to instruct its own medical expert once the defence report has been received.
When Madam Justice McBride enquired about how long the trial is estimated to last, she was informed it will take between two to three weeks.
Due to the outstanding issues including medical reports, Madam Justice McBride said it made no sense to set a date today for the trial to commence.
Advertisement
Instead, the senior judge said she would review the case on September 18 when there was a “possibility” of moving towards setting a date for the murder trial.
She also granted a defence request for McCrossan to appear via videolink for the review and following his arraignment, he was remanded back into custody.
No details concerning the fatal incident were aired today – but during a previous court hearing it emerged that Mr Holmes sustained what the PSNI described as “significant injuries” on February 3, 2025.
The Strabane man was initially taken to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry before being transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast where he passed away on February 8.
Donald Trump will allow Saudi Arabia to develop its own civilian nuclear program under a sweeping new deal as the Iran war spirals into the Red Sea and oil races toward $100 a barrel.
The agreement is reported to be worth tens of billions of dollars and structured to give US companies a central role in building the kingdom’s uranium enrichment facilities on Saudi soil.
Saudi leaders are said to have agreed only to limited international inspections of the sites. Those arrangements are intended to stop enriched fuel being diverted towards weapons.
Some US lawmakers and Israeli officials have opposed the plan, fearing the Saudis could use a civilian program as a stepping stone to nuclear weapons. Trump has dropped the previous condition that any such deal be tied to Saudi recognition of Israel.
Advertisement
Trump’s deal is expected to last 30 years and now heads to Congress, where opponents would need a veto-proof supermajority to block it.
The agreement is controversial in part because the US went to war with Iran to stop Tehran from enriching uranium for its own nuclear program.
It comes as the war widened this week, with Iranian-backed Houthi militants declaring a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia. The move threatens the Red Sea route through which the kingdom has been diverting millions of barrels of oil a day around the effectively closed Strait of Hormuz
Closing Bab al-Mandab as well could cut off a quarter of the world’s oil and gas supply. Heightened tensions in the Gulf pushed Brent crude to $95 a barrel by Wednesday morning, according to the New York Times.
Advertisement
Donald Trump will allow Saudi Arabia to develop its own civilian nuclear program under a sweeping new deal as the Iran war spirals into the Red Sea
Iranian-backed Houthi militants declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia this week
Trump’s agreement is controversial in part because the US went to war with Iran to stop Tehran from enriching uranium for its own nuclear program
Advertisement
Under the terms of the pact, Riyadh would be barred from enriching uranium on its own, or with any other foreign partner, for a decade if Washington objects once a joint study is completed.
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has previously vowed that his country would ‘without a doubt’ build nuclear weapons if Iran developed them.
The kingdom has faced mounting drone and missile attacks by Iran on its military and civilian infrastructure since Tehran’s war with the US resumed earlier this month.
Saudi officials insist the program is strictly civilian and will allow the kingdom to power its homes with nuclear energy, freeing up more crude for export.
Advertisement
The announcement landed as US forces completed an 11th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, with secretary of state Marco Rubio warning that Tehran was not taking peace talks seriously.
Fighting reignited two weeks ago after ceasefire talks between the US and Iran broke down that triggered ten consecutive nights of strikes on regime targets.
The US is trying to cripple Tehran’s ability to menace commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that carries one-fifth of all global oil.
America accused Iran a few weeks ago of violating the Memorandum of Understanding by attacking oil tankers passing through the Persian Gulf.
Advertisement
The US Navy has also hit back at Iranian aggression, reimposing a blockade on all of the regime’s ports and seizing several of its ships.
Iran, meanwhile, has responded by launching missile and drone attacks at Gulf nation water and power plants.
American troop deaths in the war have risen to 17 as nearly 100 US troops have been injured in Iranian strikes on bases across the Middle East over the past two weeks.
Advertisement
Share or comment on this article:
Trump sparks fear as he hands powerful nuclear technology to foreign power as Iran war spirals
A passenger sparked fury on an early morning flight after refusing to comply with the rest of the people on the plane, and it made others wish they had the window seat
One traveller was left seething on an early morning flight when someone refused to comply with the rest of the cabin, leaving uncomfortable and wondering why they hadn’t booked the window seat for themselves.
Advertisement
Many passengers know there’s an unwritten rule that if you’re on a morning or late-night flight, the cabin will be dimmed, and most people would like it kept that way. It’s good because people will be quiet, and you can get some sleep before you arrive at your destination. But recently, one flyer who sorted themselves with an aisle seat while travelling and was ready for a kip found their plans thwarted by an inconsiderate neighbour.
TikTok user @traveltaps questioned: “The negative of having an aisle seat is that I don’t control the window shades… and that sun is bright this morning! Ugh. Has this happened to you?”
Overlaying the footage, which depicted the aircraft cabin shrouded in darkness, they captioned: “When the entire plane created a calm, dark, sleepy atmosphere for this early morning flight.”
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Early Morning Flight Disrupted by Open Window Blind
They then revealed their particular row, adding: “Except my row.”
Advertisement
The individual by the window wasn’t even engaged in activities requiring illumination, such as reading. They were simply disregarding the ambience maintained throughout the rest of the aircraft.
Numerous commenters suggested they ought to have packed a sleep mask if rest was their priority, and told them to “mind their own business”.
Social Media Debates Unwritten Airplane Etiquette Rules
One commenter posted: “If it’s the morning, the shade is up. Travel at night if you want a sleepy flight. It’s not every day I’m 30 thousand feet in the air, so I’m looking out the window.”
Another wrote: “I don’t get the window seat so I can look at a window shade for five hours.”
Advertisement
Nevertheless, one viewer remarked: “People in the comments are annoyed, but you’re right. If you fly regularly, you know there’s an unspoken rule that on an early morning flight, windows should be down when the cabin lights are dimmed before breakfast or beverage service.
“If you don’t fly regularly, maybe look around and ask yourself why you’re the only one with the window open.”
Someone else concurred: “No this is so rude to me. As someone who flies often and on long hauls. Read the room. If no one else is smoking, then don’t pull a cig out. If everyone is taking their shoes off at the door, then take yours off too! Don’t be rude.”
What would you do in this situation? Let us know in the comments…
The grandchildren of Thomas the Tank Engine’s creator have been spared a potentially massive tax bill on their share of the multimillion-pound royalties generated by their grandad’s “really useful engine”, after HMRC lost a crucial High Court test case last week.
First published in 1945 after being invented by Rev Wilbert Awdry to entertain his sick two-year-old son Christopher, the popular children’s books have spawned an industry encompassing TV, films, toys and theme parks which was reportedly generating an annual turnover of $1bn by 2011 and a profit of over £35m a year.
Rev Awdry and wife Margaret had three children, Christopher, Veronica and Hilary, with the trio giving him seven grandchildren.
But almost 30 years after the author’s death, the managers of a trust fund he left for the benefit of his grandkids ended up fighting HMRC in court in a bid to pay out less tax on the royalties created by the much-loved steam train.
Advertisement
Mr Justice Richards at London’s High Court last week found against arguments put forward by HMRC lawyers that the royalty payments ought to count as income for trust law purposes and therefore be liable for potential income tax payments of up to 45%.
Wilbert Vere Awdry OBE was an English Anglican clergyman, railway enthusiast and children’s author. He was best known for creating Thomas the Tank Engine in his books, The Railway Series, writing the first 26 books between 1945 to 1972.
The books have since spawned an industry encompassing TV, films, toys and theme parks which was reportedly generating an annual turnover of $1bn by 2011 and a profit of over £35m a year.
Hilary Fortnum and Veronica Chambers, two of Reverend Awdry’s children, with Thomas The Tank Engine (Supplied by Champion News)
That was the year that the rights in the brand were acquired by US toy giants Mattel – owners of Barbie, Hotwheels and Masters of the Universe – when they bought HiT Entertainment for $680m (£426m).
HiT by that time owned the rights to Thomas alongside other kids’ characters, including Barney the purple dinosaur, Fireman Sam and Angelina Ballerina, with Thomas branded products alone generating profit of over £35m a year.
Advertisement
The copyright to the Rev Awdry’s books was signed away by him to his then publishers in 1985 – shortly after Thomas made his first TV appearance – in return for a deal guaranteeing him a share of any future royalties.
Half of those royalties were tied up in a trust fund for the benefit of the clergyman’s grandchildren in 1987 at which time his grandkids – Christopher’s son and daughter Richard and Verity, Veronica’s kids Mark and Claire, and Hilary’s three children Sara, Simon and Rachel – ranged in age between six and 17.
All are now adults, but almost 30 years after the author’s death the trust fund’s managers ended up in a court fight with HMRC in a bid to pay less tax on the money churned out by Thomas.
Setting out the shape of the case in his judgment, Mr Justice Richards said: “On 16 October 1985, Reverend Awdry entered into a deed of assignment with his then publishers.
Advertisement
“Reverend Awdry assigned, to the extent that they had not already been assigned to the publishers or their predecessors in title, the entire copyright throughout the world in certain defined ‘Works’ and ‘Illustrations’ together with such rights as may subsist in what was described as the ‘Railway Format’.
“In return, the publishers were to pay Reverend Awdry a stream of royalties…during the term of the copyrights so assigned.
“On 10 March 1987, Reverend Awdry made the settlement…to transfer to the trustees the property and assets set out in the schedule.
“The settlement recorded that Reverend Awdry wished to make provision for his grandchildren, who were individually named and described as the ‘beneficiaries’ in the settlement.
Advertisement
“The schedule described the property and assets referred to as: one half of all royalties paid to the settlor after the date of this deed.
“The trustees are party to this claim as claimants because they wish to know how the settlement should be administered.
“HMRC is party to the claim because they have an interest in the outcome as they are likely to be entitled to more tax if the royalties are categorised as income for trust law purposes.”
The Awdry family (Supplied by Champion News)
Going on to find against the taxman and sparing the reverend’s grandkids trust fund a potentially massive tax bill, the judge said that the royalties were themselves the assets and capital of the trust, rather than counting legally as income generated.
“The royalties received by the settlement are most naturally analysed as ‘fruit’ of the copyrights in the Railway Series. Those copyrights are not assets of the settlement…the royalties are the capital of the settlement.
Advertisement
“The defendants argue that this is the wrong way of looking at matters. They submit that the royalties received by the settlement are fruit of the right to receive those royalties, which is an asset of the settlement.
“I acknowledge that this is an alternative way of looking at matters. However, I am not satisfied that trust law principles require the matter to be viewed in that way.
“Overall, I regard it as much more realistic to regard the royalties as fruit of the copyright in the Railway Series rather than as fruit of a right to receive payment.
“Overall, I see nothing to override the intention plainly expressed in the settlement itself. I consider that the royalties received by the trustees are capital for trust law purposes.”
Oil prices have rocketed to their highest level in more than a month after Marco Rubio warned the US would keep striking Iran for as long as it throttles the Strait of Hormuz.
The Secretary of State delivered the blunt threat to reporters at the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Manila, insisting Washington would keep its warships in the fight even as he left the door open to a deal.
‘We’re going to continue to protect shipping, we think other countries should join us in that endeavor,’ Rubio said.
Advertisement
He accused Tehran of shredding a ceasefire deal to reopen the Strait ‘within two weeks’ of its agreement.
‘When those commitments are not kept, which is what’s happened in this particular case, then there will be consequences,’ Rubio said.
Energy markets were being squeezed on three fronts as chaos hit the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Black Sea.
At least two oil tankers bound for the Bab al-Mandeb chokepoint in the Red Sea turned back overnight after Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatened to blockade Saudi Arabia, choking a route that handled 12 percent of global oil flows before the war.
Advertisement
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Pasay, Philippines on July 22
Protesters who support Yemen’s Houthi group brandish weapons and shout slogans as they celebrate the ban decision imposed against the maritime shipping of Saudi Arabia on July 20, 2026 in Sana’a, Yemen
The pain is already bleeding into wallets, with pump prices topping $4 per gallon, crude clawing back toward $100 and money markets now pricing a 24 percent chance of a Fed rate hike this month.
Rubio insisted the US still wanted peace, telling reporters Washington ‘would love to reach an agreement if it were possible with Iran’ provided Tehran abandoned terrorism and its nuclear ambitions.
But he made clear Trump was prepared to escalate, warning: ‘The President has many options available to him, if they continue to insist on not being cooperative … I think Iran knows we have many options.’
Iranian officials had reached out to try to defuse the fighting, Rubio revealed, but US negotiators remained deeply skeptical.
Advertisement
‘The problem we’re having right now is that they’re not serious about talks,’ he said.
‘If they’re serious, we’re serious. If they’re not, then we will do what is necessary to protect that, our interests, and also the interests of our allies.’
The warning landed a day after Trump claimed that Iran ‘desperately’ wanted to meet but that Washington had no interest, boasting: ‘If we left right now, it would take Iran 20, 25 years to rebuild. And we’re not finished at all… we’re not leaving right now.’
The President has also doubled down on his threat to bomb a suspected Iranian nuclear site known as Pickaxe Mountain ‘pretty soon, and very heavily’, taunting: ‘There’s not a thing they can do about it.’
Advertisement
Share or comment on this article:
Rubio’s blunt Iran threat sparks chaos in global oil market
Police patrols are being stepped up as school holidays begin in Greater Manchester
13:05, 22 Jul 2026Updated 13:08, 22 Jul 2026
Senior police chiefs say ‘multiple lines of enquiry’ are being pursued after a teenage girl reported being sexually assaulted in a park in Stretford, Trafford.
A description of a suspect – a man – has also been released by detectives. He’s said to be ‘an older white male of a large build wearing a black T-shirt’. No arrests have been made as yet, GMP confirmed in a new statement issued on Wednesday.
Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter
Police swooped on the park at around 6pm, with pictures taken at the scene showing a walkway and an area of woodland taped off within a cordon.
GMP have now issued an appeal for the public’s help – and confirmed patrols are being stepped up around the park as school holidays begin.
In the statement, the force said: “Officers are appealing for information after a teenage girl reported being sexually assaulted in Victoria Park, Stretford. The incident is reported to have happened between 5.30pm and 5.44pm on Tuesday.
Advertisement
“The offender is described to be an older white male of a large build wearing a black T-shirt. No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.”
Detective Superintendent Suzanne Keenaghan, from GMP Trafford, said: “Detectives are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry and the victim is being fully supported by specially trained officers.
“There will be an increased police presence in and around Victoria Park while officers continue their investigation and provide reassurance to the local community. We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who was in the park at the time, or who may have CCTV, doorbell, mobile phone or dashcam footage from the area.
Advertisement
“Anyone with information can speak to officers at the scene, call 101, or contact us via LiveChat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 3029 of 21/07/26. Always call 999 in an emergency.”
Eye health is an easy area to overlook for many people ― that is, until a problem arises.
Visual decline, infection, injury and other ocular issues are fairly common, especially as we age. And although there are many treatments and even surgeries to fix our eye health woes, it would be nice to avoid reaching this point.
The good news is there are many ways to help prevent infection and damage to keep our eyes healthy as we age.
HuffPost asked eye doctors to share the things they never do in the interest of their ocular health. Read on for the behaviors they avoid.
Advertisement
They don’t sleep in contact lenses.
“I never sleep in my contact lenses unless the contact lenses have FDA approval for extended wear because of the risk of painful eye infections and cornea damage,” said Dr. William McLaughlin, an optometrist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Occasionally, people who wear contacts might get exhausted or have a few too many drinks and pass out before they’ve had a chance to remove their lenses, or they might need to take a midday nap or find themselves dozing on a plane. But it’s really important to try to remember to take out your contacts in these situations.
“Sleeping in contacts allows for microbes and bacteria from the contact lens to multiply overnight,” said Dr. Ella Faktorovich, an eye doctor and founder of Pacific Vision Institute. “This can lead to further complications, such as a corneal ulcer, which can be vision-threatening and lead to the need for a corneal transplant.”
Advertisement
They don’t stare closely at a screen for too long without breaks.
“When people look at a phone, laptop, or book too closely for an extended period, it can increase the risk of myopia in young people and cause eyestrain for people of all ages,” Faktorovich said. “Myopia typically develops in childhood and then deteriorates until the late teenage years.”
She recommended following the “20-20-20 Rule” for preventing and relieving digital eye strain. The method involves taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away. Easing your eye strain can improve your overall eye health as you age.
“As people age, they will experience presbyopia, leading to the potential need for procedures like Monovision LASIK or PRK, where one eye is corrected for distance vision while the other is left mildly nearsighted or uncorrected,” Faktorovich added. “Other procedures to help presbyopia may be lens replacement surgery.”
Advertisement
They don’t put off eye exams.
“I never forget to have my eyes examined at least every year to year and a half,” McLaughlin said.
It’s particularly important to keep up with your regular appointments, including dilated eye exams, if you have a condition that puts your eye health at risk.
“Those diagnosed with diabetes are at increased risk of developing retinopathy,” noted Dr. Barbara Mihalik, an optometrist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “This starts as bleeding within the retina and can progress to swelling within the retina, cataracts, glaucoma, and development of new leaky blood vessels that can cause sudden loss of vision and lead to retinal detachment which can cause permanent vision loss. Often those affected do not have any visual problems so it’s important to get dilated at least once a year to monitor for this since there are treatments to prevent this vision loss.”
Advertisement
They don’t ignore a sudden vision change.
“I would never ignore a sudden onset of a shower of floaters ― spots in the vision ― and flashing lights, especially if accompanied by a curtain crossing the vision,” Mihalik said. “All of these can be a warning sign of a retinal tear, break or hole that can lead to a retinal detachment.”
If caught early, this problem can be treated before the retina detaches, she added.
“If the retina does detach, it then requires surgical treatment and the level of vision that can be restored depends on how much and for how long the retina was detached,” Mihalik explained. “If you ever do develop new onset floaters and flashing lights, call your eye care provider right away.”
Advertisement
LaylaBird via Getty Images
It’s important to reach out to an eye doctor ASAP if you notice any sudden vision changes or other eye problems.
They don’t leave makeup on overnight.
“Under-lubricating the eyes is an often overlooked part of symptomatic eye issues, especially in people who use contact lenses or makeup,” said Dr. Avnish Deobhakta, an ophthalmologist at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. “A major change that occurs as we age is that we do not make adequate quality tears ― this is particularly problematic for people who use contact lenses, which are placed directly on the surface of cornea, or certain forms of makeup on the eyelids, which often disrupt tear production.”
He noted that the cornea requires constant lubrication to function effectively, and both the aging process and use of contact lenses and makeup can reduce the body’s natural lubrication ability. In addition to avoiding sleeping in contacts, he urged makeup-wearers to thoroughly wash it off before going to bed. Failing to remove your makeup can lead to eye infections and adversely impact your eye lubrication.
Advertisement
“One way to help deal with [under-lubrication] is to use preservative free artificial tears as a matter of routine,” Avnish added. “These artificial tears are made with substances that help lubricate the surface of the eye. However, importantly, they do not have preservatives, which can sometimes cause side effects. We often advocate using them three to four times a day.”
They don’t stare at the sun.
“People should never look directly at the sun,” Faktorovich said. “Earlier this year, we witnessed a solar eclipse where many people were tempted to look at the sun through regular sunglasses or homemade sunglasses, which can be extremely detrimental to the eye. Staring directly at the sun without the right eye protection for even a short time can permanently damage your retina, the layer of tissue in the back of your eye that converts light to electrical signals for the brain.”
In the event of a solar eclipse, she recommended using the proper protection to avoid retinal burn and other serious eye damage.
Advertisement
They don’t smoke or vape.
“Smoking and vaping are some of the worst activities that one can do for both one’s general health, especially for the eyes,” Deobhakta said. “There are very severe diseases that destroy the parts of the eye that are irreplaceable, such as the retina, which occur much more often in people who smoke.”
He noted that smoking is also associated with increased rates of cataract formation, which leads to a clouding of the lens and often requires surgery to remove.
“In addition, the fumes themselves can cause damage to the surface of the eye, causing corneal abrasions and extremely painful dry eye, often requiring lifelong treatment to address,” Deobhakta said. “In other words, avoid smoking and vaping if you want a lifetime of healthy eyes.”
Advertisement
They don’t rinse contact lenses in tap water.
Mihalik noted that she would never use tap water to rinse contact lenses.
“There is a high risk of developing microbial keratitis, otherwise known as a corneal ulcer, that can lead to permanent blindness and in some cases corneal transplant,” she noted. “Instead, always rinse and store in contact lens solution, replace your case regularly, and replace lenses as directed by your eye care provider.”
In addition to storing and lubricating your contact lenses improperly, using the same pair for longer than recommended can lead to eye health issues.
Advertisement
“I never forget to discard my contact lenses in the prescribed time period,” McLaughlin said.
They don’t eat an unbalanced diet.
“Eating a diet high in sugar and fat may go without saying as being bad for one’s health, but it also has a disproportionately negative effect on the eyes,” Deobhakta said. “Certain diseases like diabetes are responsible for the most common forms of irreversible blindness that we see in our clinics, and that is often linked to eating an unbalanced diet high in carbohydrates and fat.”
He noted that the risk of experiencing a stroke in the eye is higher for those with uncontrolled high blood pressure.
Advertisement
“Some good news however ― eating a balanced diet (with exercise) not only helps other parts of the body, but drastically reduces the chances of these kinds of diseases occurring,” Deobhakta said. “So our advice is to eat a Mediterranean Diet, low in sugar and fat, and do something physical you enjoy, like running or biking or taking a walk.”
Ms Priest said: “The board believes that the reinstatement of the Mackintosh Building can, and should, be part of a heritage-led economic regeneration project, building on the existing creative and cultural production assets within this part of the city, to strengthen Glasgow’s creative eco-system and its position as one of the UK’s leading, creative economies.”
The Burns Hotel, a Samuel Smith’s pub in 23 Market Street is one of ten establishments shortlisted in The Press reader competition to crown the best York pub for 2026.
The Tadcaster base-brewery and pub owner is known for brewing a wide range of traditional beers from natural ingredients – thought to include historic methods such as slate Yorkshire Square fermentation – to create its cask ale Old Brewery Bitter and other Samuel Smith beers.
The Burns Hotel in Market Street, York, is shortlisted in the top ten by readers of The Press as a contender in its Best Pub 2026 competition (Image: Kevin Glenton)
Samuel Smith describes its pubs as “a haven from the digital world – there are no TVs or background music.
“The use of mobile phones, laptops and other tech is not allowed in our pubs.
Advertisement
“Friendly pub conversation is encouraged (no swearing!) together with the responsible enjoyment of our beers.”
A notice from City of York Council in the pub window seen on Friday, July 17, indicated that the pub has applied to serve food and drink at the front of the premises in Market Street.
Described by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) as a “typical, traditional Sam Smith’s pub in the pedestrianised city centre,” the Burns Hotel was designed to blend with York’s historic streetscape.
The interior has drawn frequent praise from both locals and tourists.
Advertisement
The public house was built in the mid 19th century incorporating an adjacent house of early 18th century date, and formerly one of a pair with number 21, according to City of York Council’s records.
On TripAdvisor, one person who visits the city in their leisure time said: “A pub I always look forward to visiting on any holiday I take to York is The Burns Hotel, been here many times over the years.
“I was visiting this pub when it was called The Hansom Cab Pub many years ago, it’s a great Samuel Smiths Pub to unwind in.
“I like the look of this pub, the interior is superb, dark wood features abound, an eye-catching serving bar dominates the main room, with pub-like decor and furnishings and plenty of seating options spread throughout – it’s a great pub to unwind in.”
Advertisement
Many visitors echo this sentiment, noting the “great beer” at Samuel Smith’s prices.
The pub’s rules, which include avoiding loud music are often highlighted in reviews as part of its appeal.
One reviewer said: “A great pub, great beers, stick to the rules… no loud music.”
Voting slips for The York Press Best Pub 2026 are in copies of the newspaper up to and including Saturday, August 5 and must be posted off to the address provided to count.
“But there are times players want a different kind of scenario. When you leave a place like Liverpool and go to Madrid, and hypothetically it doesn’t work out, well, one option would be a club that isn’t at its best moment, to try to help it rise again. Manchester United is a clear example of that. There’s also a bit of a question regarding the Liverpool fans, or his affection for the club, it might be hurt seeing him move to Manchester.
![Is The Bitcoin & Crypto Cycle Low In? [Here’s The Facts]](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1784724876_maxresdefault-80x80.jpg)
You must be logged in to post a comment Login