Harrogate District leisure services cost taxpayers £3.5 million a year

Swimming pools, leisure and community centres in the Harrogate District are operating at a loss of more than £3.5 million a year.

According to a Freedom of Information request by The Stray Ferret, services run by Harrogate Borough Council are expected to cost the taxpayer £3,585,980 in 2019/20 and some facilities have increased in cost year on year.

Most facilities which are set to be handed over to a new council-owned company as part of proposals by the borough council are expected to make a loss.

The figures show that the Harrogate Hydro is the most expensive facility and is expected to cost £1,014,960 for the last year.

The total expenditure for the Hydro is estimated to be £2,168,140 in 2019/20 with an income of £1,153,180. The majority of the cost comes from staffing and additional expenses which accounts for £817,660 and £1.25 million of the bill.

Among the facilities and their cost were:

Read more:

Meanwhile, attendances at both facilities fell over the course of 12 months. The Hydro saw its attendances drop from 341,886 in 2018/19 to 322,889 last year.

The expenditure for the Harrogate Hydro as set out by Harrogate Borough Council.

It comes as the authority’s cabinet will vote on handing over services to an arms-length company called Brimham’s Active on Wednesday in order to save money.

If given the go-ahead, it would mean facilities such as Harrogate Hydro, the Turkish Baths and Ripon Leisure Centre would be run by the new company.

But the plan has been met with opposition by the community in Starbeck and was criticised by unions last week over its consultation response.

How will Brimham’s Active save money?

The total cost of running leisure services will beg the question as to whether or not the new company can make a dent in its overall loss every year.

According to a council report due before senior councillors, the company would save money through VAT benefits, business rates relief and investment in new and existing pools.

The council estimates that the company, which has a target set up date of August 2021, will save the authority around £284,000 a year which would potentially rise to £585,000 after investment in facilities.

The authority said around £222,000 a year would be saved in rate relief and £76,000 in VAT benefits as a result of handing services over to the company.

Meanwhile, the new company would have project start up costs of £300,000 which would be funded from the council’s investment reserves.

Is the future of Harrogate town centre more homes, less shopping?

As the government lines up plans to overhaul the UK planning system, could we see less shops and more homes and offices in Harrogate town centre as a result of the changes?

The town centre already has around 10% of its retail units sitting empty and an impending economic downturn could see that number increase.

But proposals lined up by the government could change how developers react to the loss of shops and what to do with them.

Ministers are to press ahead with measures which would see permitted development rights extended to empty outlets. It means that developers could demolish empty stores and replace them with housing without the need for a planning application.

Read more:

Further measures would see change of use rules relaxed, meaning unused shops could be turned into offices or homes.

James Tyreman, of Nicholls Tyerman estate agents, said the move would fit with an already popular town centre area to live in and converting a building would depend on its location.

He said: “It would depend on the right building and the right address.

“The town centre area is popular to live in and Harrogate has a lot of very attractive buildings. But it is very much a case of the right address and right location.”

Meanwhile, James Hobson, managing director at JEH Planning, said the reuse of vacant units will be crucial in helping the local economy after the pandemic.

He said: “Serious consideration will need to be given to the potential re-use of vacant retail premises and other commercial space for other uses, something that can be a controversial topic in Harrogate.

“However, if planners do not grasp and act on this issue, we could be preventing economic stimulus at a time that we have never needed it more.

“As part of this, we need to be completely realistic as to how much business and commercial space can be viably re-provided on site, and indeed how much affordable housing can be funded as part of mix use redevelopment proposals.”

He added that greater flexibility in the planning system would be key for those changes and to help high streets flourish.

The town centre has a Masterplan drawn up by the borough council, that was published four years ago. Critics argue that times have changed with increased online shopping and now the impact of coronavirus lockdown on the town centre.

 

The masterplan suggests the pedestrianisation of James Street which is the source of real concern to some traders

The Stray Ferret contacted Harrogate Borough Council leader, Richard Cooper, in advance of this article to request an interview on the vision for the town and traders concerns, but received no response.

Independent Harrogate have already made their voices heard and called for a rethink of the plan.

In its manifesto, the trade association said the town centre faces a crisis amid the pandemic and described the plan as “outdated”.

The publication of the manifesto was another example of the growing frustration among traders who feel the town’s future and its high-end shopping, which it is famous for, is at stake.

A spokesperson for the group said:

“We are terribly worried, there are various businesses that have already closed.

“The government have been supportive, but the local authority have got to be supportive too.”

At this critical juncture, there is a responsibility on policymakers to shape plans for the future. But there is also a responsibility on us to shop local if we want the stores we like to survive.

Can Harrogate compete with Leeds as shops reopen?

Yesterday, we reported on the anxieties of shoppers returning to clothes stores in the district. Given the fear expressed by many of stepping foot back onto the high street, is Harrogate doing enough to entice them back in?

As part of examining what the town is doing to win over shoppers, we looked at Harrogate’s closest retail rival and a city which attracts a lot of shoppers from the district.

16 miles down the road in Leeds, the city is putting in place a range of measures to bring customers back and encourage them to part with their hard earned cash again.

The city is offering free car parking for another month, as well as deep cleaning the streets and offering hand sanitiser on demand.

The city council has worked with the local BID to come up with measures to entice shoppers in and also offer reassurance, including one way systems and more outdoor space for street cafes in areas like the Corn Exchange and Park Row.

Read more:

Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said the measures were important to get the city back up and running again.

She said: “Getting our city centre and district centres back open again will be a key priority in the weeks ahead, however it needs to be done in a careful and controlled way in order to keep everyone safe.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in creating and implementing this plan, and I’d like to again thank the people of Leeds for their resilience and ask that it continues in terms of following the rules and adhering to the two-metre social distancing especially.

“Things may look a bit different in our public spaces, but if everyone follows the rules they will be safe places to work and visit as we start the process of recovery in Leeds.”

In light of the measures being put in place, can Harrogate compete and win over the anxious shopper?

Harrogate Borough Council was handed £141,000 from the European Union to help reopen and advertise the high streets, but a plan of how the money will be spent has yet to be revealed.

Meanwhile, the authority’s decision to reintroduce car parking fines left local trade associations frustrated and deeply disappointed.

Harrogate BID launched a deep clean of the town centre earlier this week.

Harrogate BID has also outlined its own plans to make the town centre attractive to shoppers again and started to put measures in place.

A deep clean is already underway and the group is in negotiations with a supplier to introduce high street daytime hosts and nighttime street marshalls in a couple of weeks.

The hosts will be tasked with giving shoppers peace of mind as lockdown is eased by welcoming them to the town centre, giving out information and noting hotspots that need to be cleaned.

Areas like James Street have already had pavements widened and retailers have also been offered social distancing posters to reassure shoppers that their experience will be safe.

Floor stickers will help to show customers where to stand two metres apart.

Sara Ferguson, acting chair of Harrogate BID, said the organisation was aware of the challenges that face retailers in the district but added that she was optimistic of shoppers coming back.

She said: “We are trying to make it as welcoming as possible.

“I feel like people are a bit sick of lockdown and there will be changes on the high street for sure, but people will have time to shop.

“I’m hoping that people will feel a bit more relaxed.”

Tomorrow in our final report, we look at the longer term plans for Harrogate.

Harrogate Monsoon store saved from closure

Harrogate’s Monsoon Accessorize store has been saved despite the company announcing a string of store closures after falling into administration.

Monsoon brought in administrators late on Tuesday before being bought out by Adena Brands Ltd through a pre-pack deal which was announced this morning.

Administrators FPR Advisory secured the deal with Adena, which is owned by Monsoon’s founder Peter Simon, which will see 450 jobs transferred over to the company.

But, 35 stores will still close across the UK and 545 staff will be made redundant.

Read more:

Harrogate’s Monsoon Accessorize store on James Street is not included on the list of closures released today.

The news comes as non essential retail, such as clothes stores, will reopen on Monday after lockdown is eased.

Mr Simon has promised to inject £15 million into Monsoon so it can continue trading and will work with administrators to negotiate leases on 162 stores and secure more than 2,300 retail jobs.

Tony Wright, joint administrator and partner at FRP, said: 

“We had to move quickly and decisively to secure the future of Monsoon and Accessorize, as many jobs as possible and the presence of these two iconic brands on the UK high street. After assessing a range of options this deal achieves those goals with least disruption to the business in an already challenging retail environment.

“We are now committed to working with Adena Brands as they enter talks with landlords to agree future terms across their store portfolio and look to transfer more jobs to the buyer. We’ll also be working with the Redundancy Payments Service to support all affected employees through this difficult time.”

Many in district still fearful of shopping for clothes

Will shoppers return to the high street on Monday?

Since the lockdown easing was revealed by the Prime Minister, a number of major and independent outlets have already announced that their doors will be open on June 15.

But once shops are open and the store lights are on, the focus will shift to how customers react after 10 weeks of closure and increasingly more people shopping online.

The Stray Ferret went around the district and asked people in town centres whether they were uneasy about returning to shops.

Read more:

In our video above, people raised concerns over changing rooms in clothes stores and shops reopening too early.

Melanie Lancaster, from Ripon, said it was not necessary for the city’s high street to reopen yet.

“I’m not going to shop when the shops open.

“I know that they are saying that they are going to quarantine clothes, but I would still not feel comfortable doing that.”

Sandra Watkins, from Harrogate, said she was concerned with younger people and whether they would be mindful when shops reopen.

She said: “I’m more concerned perhaps with my teenage daughter still being quite young, are they going to be mindful going back into places like Primark?”

Some smaller traders do not expect customers to be stepping through their doors immediately, but bigger retailers have a challenge.

Shop space which once saw customers move freely around will be altered by one way systems, two metre distances and limited customers.

Esther Pugh, a retail expert at Leeds Beckett University, said the experience of shopping will be changed by social distancing, but added that she remained optimistic about customers returning to the high street.

She said: “Stores use their layout to help navigate the space and move around.

“But it will be a challenge because the guidelines will effect the experience.

“I am optimistic and I think people need to feel positive. I think the shops need to be innovative and turn this into something new for shoppers.”

Tomorrow, we will report on what is being done to entice shoppers back onto Harrogate’s high street and into retail stores.

Union concerns over leisure ‘ridiculous’, says council

Harrogate Borough Council has described union concerns that the authority is being tight-lipped over its leisure plans as “ridiculous”.

The authority was responding to concerns from Unison that the council had not kept union bosses informed over proposals and that it had “no overwhelming support”.

But, the council said the plan, which it has consulted residents on, will save the authority £400,000 a year.

It comes as the council faces an estimated £15 million deficit as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a report due before the authority’s cabinet next week, the company would be called Brimham’s Active and has a target set up date of August 2021.

Read more:

 

If given the go-ahead, it would mean facilities such as Harrogate Hydro, the Turkish Baths and Ripon Leisure Centre would be run by the new company.

Unison bosses said they were concerned that not enough information had been shared with them about the proposal, but the council has said it would be unrealistic to provide a running commentary on the company.

A spokesperson for the council said:

“For Unison to suggest we have been “tight lipped” is ridiculous.

“The union is aware of the proposal to create a local authority controlled company to manage our sport and leisure services.

“To expect a running commentary while a report is prepared for councillors to consider at next week’s meeting of cabinet is unrealistic.

“The proposal would enable us to save £400,000 a year and invest in new facilities for the benefit of people across the district.

“Our valued colleagues would be transferred to the new company on exactly the same terms and conditions they enjoy now.”

Harrogate retail prepares to fight for survival

As nearly 10% of Harrogate town centre’s retail spaces sit empty, traders prepare to fight to survive as lockdown is eased.

After 10 weeks of closure, retailers and independent boutiques now face the task of making up lost ground, earning a living and protecting their customers at the same time.

Non-essential shops, such as clothing outlets, can reopen from Monday. But the aim for some is to see if they can survive the challenge that comes with social distancing measures and the cost of the crisis.

As an economic downturn looms, Harrogate’s outlets face an uphill task in surviving. During lockdown, among those retailers to leave the town’s prestigious James Street is Jack Wills.

Among traders’ concerns ahead of Monday include:

Despite support from government and the local authority, it may not be enough as traders face the difficult decision of whether to open up or not on Monday.

Sophie Hartley, who owns Sophie Likes boutique on Beulah Street in Harrogate.

One of the shops reopening is lifestyle boutique Sophie Likes, which has been operating on Beulah Street for the past six years.

Sophie Hartley is the owner and sole employee in the store and has prepared for social distancing. But she said it will be difficult for local traders to make a living after lockdown.

Read More:

The closure of the shop left Sophie’s family without some of their income. She received a government grant but still hopes to have discussions with her landlord to help make it through until the end of the year.

She said: “It’s been pretty scary.

“All of a sudden you have the close the shop and you have no income.

“We are still not sure of our opening hours because we do not know how busy it is going to be.”

Another store owner, who did not wish to be named, said she had been “stung” financially by the lockdown and may have to close the store in future due to a lack of customers.

She said she had to seek advice after discussions about rent support with her landlord broke down and that Harrogate was a “ghost town” and the financial situation may lead her to reconsider the future of the store.

She said: “I cannot just keep going for face value.

“The high street is suffering and Harrogate is already a ghost town.”

Despite these difficult times, there is no place for small businesses to turn to for support when negotiations with landlords prove to be difficult.

Retail in Crisis

This week we report on Retail In Crisis as stores prepare to reopen after lockdown.

Over the coming days, we will look at the fear of shoppers returning to the High Street, how trade associations are working to entice customers into Harrogate and the long view of the future of retail in the town.

Tomorrow, we look at shoppers anxieties over returning to shopping in town.

Council plans for leisure have ‘no overwhelming support’, say Unions

Union bosses in Harrogate have claimed there is no overwhelming public support for council-run leisure services to be handed over to an arms-length company.

Officials from Unison have sought further information on the proposal after they say they have had no contact from the authority on the matter.

Harrogate Borough Council has consulted with residents on plans to hand over services to an authority-run company which it says will save £400,000 a year.

It comes as the council faces an estimated £15 million deficit as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Read more on this story:

If given the go-ahead, it would mean facilities such as Harrogate Hydro, the Turkish Baths and Ripon Leisure Centre would be run by the new company.

But unions say they fear that the move could lead to job losses and have requested further information on the survey carried out by the council.

A spokesperson for Unison Harrogate Local Government Branch said today: 

“To date Unison, have had no proactive contact from the council on the LACC, either before or after the consultation period ended.

“We do not believe there is overwhelming public support for such a change so we are seeking further information.

“We have recently requested information on how many residents had previously stated the cost of sport and leisure was too high (at 37p a week), which the council have said is one of the drivers of the move to a LACC.

“We have also requested to know how many residents have responded to the recent survey and what the responses are.

“We do know staff are worried because there has been an increase in our membership in sport and leisure since the proposal became public and our concerns remain around changes to terms and conditions, together with pension provision if staff transfer over.  There should be no doubt that this can happen if the council ultimately decides to go ahead with the transfer.”

Harrogate Borough Council has been approached for comment.

Council Stray repairs contract given under ‘urgent circumstances’

A controversial council decision to bring in Lancashire based contractors to restore West Park Stray was made under “urgent circumstances” – seven months after the UCI World Cycling Championships.

Details seen by The Stray Ferret show the six-month contract handed to Glendale Services is worth an estimated £40,926.29 and was a direct appointment by the council in April, meaning it was not put out to competitive tender.

At the time, the decision to outsource to Glendale was met with fierce criticism from local contractors who said they were “absolutely disgusted” that they weren’t invited to tender for the work.

Harrogate Borough Council brought in the Chorley-based company to restore the Stray which was left with a £130,000 repair bill following the cycling championships.

Glendale have since started reseeding work, which council bosses say will be complete by September.

Read more:

Liberal Democrat county councillor, Geoff Webber, who asked the borough council through a Freedom of Information request about the contract, said he was disappointed that there was no competition for the work.

He said: “It is particularly disappointing to see this contact go to an ‘out of area’ company when the county council has been running a campaign for individuals and businesses to ‘shop local’.  

“I understand that there were at least two reputable local companies who could have carried out this work, possibly cheaper, but were not even given the chance to tender.”

 

Aerial shot of The Stray taken recently yet to be seeded.

Mark Smith, Managing Director of local contractor HACS, described the urgent decision as “rubbish”.

He told The Stray Ferret:

“I’ve never heard of such rubbish in my life. How could an event that happened last Autumn be urgent?

“They had six months from when the damage was done to appoint a contractor. We’ve had the driest spring on record so if a contractor had been appointed earlier they could have hit the ground running and seeded it earlier. Now, they’ve missed the optimum Spring sowing date for grass seed.”

The council expects the overall works to the Stray to cost £129,971:

Yorkshire 2019, the organisers of the UCI, has agreed to pay £35,500 to help restore the Stray.

Harrogate Borough Council has been approached for comment on the urgent decision, but had not responded at the time of publication.

Debenhams to reopen Harrogate store as lockdown eases

Debenhams will reopen its Harrogate store on June 15 as retailers in the town centre gear up to bounce back after lockdown is eased.

The department store is preparing to open 50 of its outlets across the UK with strict social distancing measures in place.

Non-essential stores, such as clothing shops and electronic outlets, will be allowed to reopen as of June 15 as lockdown restrictions are relaxed further.

It comes as the future of Debenhams store in Parliament Street was thrown into doubt after the company filed for administration back in April.

Read more:

Now, the store will reopen with Perspex shields at tills and PPE in place for staff as part of social distancing guidelines.

Steven Cook, chief executive of Debenhams, said the company was looking forward to opening again:

”We are delighted to be welcoming customers back to our stores in the coming weeks. 

“From the installation of perspex screens at till points to the roll-out of social distancing procedures and PPE, we have been working hard to ensure our colleagues and customers can work and shop with confidence. 

“Our reopening plans follow the successful conclusion of lease negotiations on 120 stores, meaning that the vast majority of our stores will be reopening.”