I have some friends in law across England and from what I've heard the better the uni the better job chances you have. York is a very good uni but Durham is simply a level above it. Sure there's "elitism" but you'll find that at the best universities anyways and I doubt it has any form of impact on job hunting when you graduate. The sports aspect is the cherry on the icing for Durham so I'd definitely recommend you go to Durham even if it's a small city. Good luck!