Yorkshire warm spaces 2023: North Yorkshire locations offering free, warm and welcoming spaces for local communities in York, Richmond, Harrogate, Middlesbrough, Scarborough, Whitby, Leyburn, Filey, Ripon, Knaresborough and Thirsk

The Warm Welcome campaign first began when former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and faith leaders looked into what could be done about the cost of living crisis.

These free, warm, welcoming spaces connect locals with their community and are great places to make new friends, whilst saving money on energy bills.

These North Yorkshire venues encourage everyone to access a warm space in their local community, to socialise with others, make new friends and feel part of a group.

North Yorkshire locations offering free, warm and welcoming spaces for locals

Clifton Parish, York

Location: Clifton Parish Church, Clifton Vicarage, Clifton, York, YO30 6BH.

Three church buildings in York are offering various activities in the week for families, young people and the elderly.

St Barnabas, York Community Cafe

Locations: 218 Salisbury Terrace, York, YO26 4XP and Jubilee Terrace, Leeman Rd, York YO26 4YZ.

The spaces are accessible to everyone, Monday mornings (except bank holidays), with free drinks and cakes.

Thirsk Community Library

Location: Thirsk Community Library, Meadowfields 1TH, Chapel Street, Thirsk, YO7 1TH.

This space is open to all. Warm, level access, lift, hearing loop, toilets, free wifi and use of computers, hot drinks.

Family Life Church, Thirsk

Location: Family Life Church, Finkle Street, Thirsk, YO7 1DA.

We welcome you to a warm space with a good bowl of hot soup and warm roll.

Renew Wellbeing Cafe, Thirsk

Location: St Mary's Church, Kirkgate, Thirsk, YO7 1PR.

We open our church doors on a Tuesday afternoon 2-4 for refreshments.

The Atrium, York

Location: The Gateway Centre, Acomb, York, YO24 3BZ.

The Atrium is a warm and friendly space, open from 10am-2pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday every week during school term time. Enjoy simple food and drink together, all free. A quiet space is open throughout the day with reflective sessions at 10am, 12pm and 2pm. Crafts, games and activities, together with toys for toddlers and babies are available.

St Clement’s Church, York

Location: 15A Scarcroft Road, York, YO23 1NE.

Parish church with drop in facility and use of laptop computers.

Planet Food, York

Location: Southlands Methodist Church, York, YO23 1NX.

A warm, welcoming space from 9am to 11am, possibly followed by a pay-as-you-feel meal made by Planet Food from waste food from supermarkets. Coffee, tea and cakes are also on offer, as well as food bags to take away (everything on a pay-as-you-feel basis).

Boroughbridge Library

Location: 17 St James Square, Boroughbridge, York, YO51 9AR.

Open to the local community.

Hungate Centre, Pickering

Location: 29 Hungate, Pickering, YO18 7DG.

A warm welcome awaits at the new Musical Memories Lunch Club for older people — Winter Warmers. There’ll be good company, tea & coffee, crafts and activities, speakers, newspapers, jigsaws, board games, singing and music every Wednesday throughout the winter — in fact a youthful club for the over 60s. A hearty soup and roll and a homemade hot pudding will be served between 12pm and 1pm - all for £5.

Ripon Library

Location: The Arcade, Ripon, HG4 1AG.

The public library has a hot drinks machine - tea, coffee and hot chocolate are available for £1 a cup.

Knaresborough Library

Location: Town Centre, 40 Market Place, Knaresborough, HG5 8AG.

The public library has a hot drinks machine - tea, coffee and hot chocolate are available for £1 a cup.

Northallerton Methodist Church

Location: 73 High Street, Northallerton, DL7 8EG.

An active church with other activities offering company and a warm space, the times below are for Coffee Pot only. Our 'Coffee Pot' runs as a cafe serving refreshments and cake/toasted tea cakes, but tea/coffee/juice & biscuits will be available free for those who need it.

Harrogate Library

Location: Victoria Ave, Harrogate, HG1 1EG.

Hot drinks machine - tea, coffee & hot choc is only £1 a cup.

Victoria Avenue.

The Globe Community Library, Stokesley

Location: North Road, Stokesley, Middlesbrough, TS9 5DH.

Community library with events and activities serving Stokesley and the surrounding areas

Town Close.

Sherburn and Villages Community Library

Location: Finkle Hill, Sherburn in Elmet, Leeds, LS25 6EA.

A place where people can meet up as it is a warm, welcoming safe space with comfy seats where people can read newspapers, magazines or books, work on jigsaws, play board games or just chat with other local people. As well as the library’s regular opening hours, it will be open on one Wednesday a month during November, December and January where it will be hosting an event and offering free hot drinks and cakes during the event.

Nidderdale Plus Community Hub

Location: Station Square, King Street, Pateley Bridge, Harrogate, HG3 5AT.

Community Library, open Monday 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturday 10am to 1pm. Hot drinks, a friendly welcome and a warm place to sit and read or do jigsaws.

Newby and Scalby Library

Location: 450 Scalby Road, Scarborough, YO12 6EE.

A public library where you can join for free; you can borrow books for free and other resources for a small charge. We also have a suite of computers for public use with free use for one hour. We have photocopying and laminating facilities. There is a machine for refreshments and we have free wifi. We have weekly activities and groups for Under Fives and adults. We also run events for school aged children in school holidays.

More Than Books, Scarborough

Location: High Street, Eastfield, Scarborough, YO11 3LL.

Eastfield Community Library - a warm cafe space offering free drinks and hot soup from December 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.

St Columba Church, Scarborough

Location: 119 Dean Road, Scarborough, YO12 7JH.

Open for anyone to come to Church services on Sundays and Wednesdays followed by tea, coffee and biscuits. Alternate Tuesdays, 2pm to 3.30pm, there is coffee, cake and a chat. Please do come along, there is plenty of chatter, come & make new friends. There is free Wi-Fi, jigsaws and newspapers.

Westborough Methodist Church, Scarborough

Location: Westborough, Scarborough, YO11 1TS.

Church Coffee bar, chairs and tables set out in groups of four to six.

St Martin-On-The-Hill, Scarborough

Location: Albion Road, Scarborough, YO11 2BT.

The church is open to everyone, there is a cafe open from 11am-4pm, toilet facilities including disabled access. There are community spaces set up around the church that have magazines, jigsaws and games.

Age UK North Yorkshire Coast and Moors, Scarborough

Location: 39 Aberdeen Walk, Scarborough, YO11 1BD.

A welcoming and accessible space, open daily. It is open to all including children if they are supervised by an appropriate adult. There is free tea, coffee and biscuits as well as soups and cakes and extras available depending on what has been donated. There is always a selection of books, board games and jigsaws, as well as free wi-fi. People are free to chat to others, or just sit in comfort and warmth.

Scarborough Library

Location: Vernon Road, Scarborough, YO11 2NN.

A public library runs a wide variety of children's events, film events, author talks, special seasonal events and always has a warm welcome to customers and the wider community. Enjoy our comfortable chairs and hunker down with the newspaper, a good book or access our Wifi.

Cayton Community Drop In

Location: Main Street, Cayton, Scarborough, YO11 3TF.

Jubilee Hall is an old school that is owned by the Parish Council. It has accessible access and a portable ramp with disabled facilities. Each Thursday we provide a free light meal to people who attend. In the winter this is soup and a hot pudding, in warmer months sandwiches and cake plus hot/cold drinks.

Middlesbrough Community Grocery Cafe

Location: 1a St Barnabas' Road, Middlesbrough, TS5 6JR.

Our Community Grocery Cafe is open on Thursday mornings 10am to 12.30pm providing a warm friendly space serving hot drinks (20p), scones (20p) and toast (20p). Soup/roll (50p) served from 11.30am. All drinks come with free refills.

Whitby Library

Location: Windsor Terrace, Whitby, YO21 1ET.

Library space with comfortable seating and browsing areas, computer usage, tables and chairs. Lift from street level to entrance and internal lift to the first floor library space. Free membership for users.

Whitby Christian Fellowship

Location: West Cliff Church, Skinner Street, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3AH.

It is open from November 6, 2023, everyone is welcome. There is a pool table; table football; books and magazines along with a section of DVD's to watch.

St Matthew's Church, Leyburn

Location: Leyburn, DL8 5FD.

Child friendly space offering hot drinks, accessible toilets and free WiFi.

Richmond Methodist Church

Location: Queens Road, Richmond, DL10 4AE.

A welcome/reception area leading to a lounge Small kitchen. Toilet facilities. All accessible.

Dundas Street.

Filey Library

Location: Station Avenue, Filey, YO14 9AE.

Information technology taster sessions: The library holds information technology taster sessions to introduce people to computers and the internet. Knit and natter group: The knit and natter group meets every Thursday from 1pm to 3pm. Sewing Group meets every Wednesday of every month from 2pm to 4pm. Soundings creative writing group The Soundings creative writing group meets on the third Thursday of the month from 10am to 12pm. Hungry Little Minds Story times Under 5 story time, crafts and songs on Mondays from 10:30am to 11:15am, term-time only.