Revival for James Street as major brands set to open doorsBusiness leaders say one of Harrogate’s most prestigious streets is experiencing a resurgence after the challenges of covid.
James Street was for many years seen as the most desirable place to open a shop in the town, with its heritage features and high quality brands.
However, the last couple of years have seen it struggle with empty units, the temporary removal of parking spaces, and controversial plans to pedestrianise at least part of the street.
But with major national brands including Oliver Bonas and Pret a Manger set to open there in the coming months, along with popular local beer emporium Husk, could James Street be experiencing a return to its former fortunes?
Harrogate BID certainly thinks so, as manager Matthew Chapman explained:
“It is very good news to see a swathe of new business opening on James Street, including a number of well-known national brands.
“It has always been one of the town’s most prominent streets, hosting a wide variety of quality shops, and when Next moved to Victoria Shopping Centre it was a blow. In its place we had a discount store, which certainly wasn’t in keeping with other shops on the street.
“Now the unit is to be occupied by what we believe to be a top fashion brand, and coupled with Pret a Manger moving in next door, it will give James Street a very welcome boost.”
The positive news for the street comes despite fears raised by existing businesses that any pedestrianisation – and the nearby Station Gateway scheme which would reduce Station Parade to one lane for cars – could be severely damaging to retail.
Station Gateway proposals show Harrogate’s James Street pedestrianised.
Business owners have argued that customers like to park up nearby and pop into shops for just a few minutes, rather than parking further afield and walking in. Reducing their ability to do so, owners say, will have an effect on footfall and seriously hamper their viability.
Bob Kennedy, who owns Porters on James Street, said the arrival of new businesses is a welcome sign – but does not necessarily reflect confidence in the proposed changes.
“It’s a classic case of what will happen if we pedestrianise it. Walk up Cambridge Street and have a look at the quality and you realise why people want to be on James Street instead.
“I don’t think [pedestrianisation] would lead to businesses leaving. With the larger independents and upcoming chains, it’s simply if you are in a spot and it’s making you money, you stay. If it’s losing you money, you look to leave.
“Whether the Station Gateway will lead to people taking less money and less profitability and therefore make them think about leaving, who knows?”
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Mr Kennedy said rents had come down as landlords realised demand for retail space had fallen slightly, making it more viable for businesses to open up and try to make shops viable.
This was more likely to be a factor, he said, than any proposed changes which could take a long time to come into effect.
However, he said the situation was cyclical, with low rents encouraging more demand, which would in turn drive rents back up. Larger, national brands would be more likely to be able to absorb those higher costs, he said.
Planters were used to prevent parking on James Street during the covid pandemic
For Harrogate BID, there is a clear sense of positivity across the town centre after a tough two years.
Mr Chapman added:
“It’s not just James Street that is seeing new life being breathed into empty units.
“Walking around town as I do regularly, new businesses are also popping up in a number of other locations, including Montpellier, which is good news for the town centre economy.
“Having a vibrant mix of national and independents is what makes Harrogate appealing to shoppers, both local and from further afield.”
Harrogate Convention Centre: What happens now?With a planned £47 million renovation and a change of control to North Yorkshire Council on the horizon, the next 12 months are set to be pivotal for Harrogate Convention Centre.
Now that last week’s local elections are out of the way, the clock is ticking until one of the town’s major assets is handed over to the new unitary authority.
But key decisions on the convention centre, including the £47 million spend, have yet to be made.
Harrogate Borough Council currently controls the centre’s destiny, but that will no longer be the case come April 1 when it is abolished.
So what will happen with the convention centre and when will decisions be made?
Historic investment
In August 2020, the borough council outlined what would become its single biggest investment in recent times.
It tabled a plan to renovate the convention centre at a cost of £47 million over three phases.
However, while a plan to create seminar rooms in studio two to accommodate up to 1,200 people have been brought forward over fears the local economy could miss out on £14.9 million worth of events, the wider project has yet to be signed off.
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A spokesperson for the council previously said it intented to seek approval for the studio two project ahead of the first phase of the wider scheme.
The council also said that a final decision on the scheme was due to be put before councillors in 2022.
Meanwhile, questions also remain around how exactly the project will be funded.
Council officials have included an investment in the convention centre in a list of requests to government as part of a North Yorkshire devolution deal.
The 140-page document, which has already been submitted to ministers, includes a request to “work with government to address the capital funding gap we have identified through our business case work to date”.
The report adds:
“Our ‘ask’ is that stakeholders work together to develop a dialogue with government to meet the capital shortfall identified through business case modelling.
“Debt costs in meeting this high upfront capital expenditure will weigh-down the projects viability necessitating innovative funding solutions to enable these costs to be mitigated.
“Finding a means to write-off or subsidise a portion of the upfront capital costs is considered necessary to enable the scheme to be viable.”
Ministers and council leaders in North Yorkshire are currently in negotiations over the devolution deal.
But given the government’s long list of funding headaches at the moment, there is a risk that ministers could not agree to the request – which would raise questions over how the scheme would be funded and who would stump up the cash.
Depending on timing, it’s likely that it fall to the new North Yorkshire Council to take the decision – it too will have funding pressures.
‘An integral part of Harrogate’
While the politics of the convention centre rumbles on, the prospect of any investment remains key to traders.
The centre continues to host a range of events, including bridal shows, political conferences and Thought Bubble Comic Con.
Sue Kramer, Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce president.
For businesses, the hope is that the convention centre attracts more visitors to the town who will then go onto stay, shop and visit the area.
Sue Kramer, Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce president, told the Stray Ferret:
“From a retail perspective, with the number of customers we have who have come to Harrogate specifically because of HCC I regard it as an integral part of Harrogate’s special and unique offering.
“The range of events held throughout the year attract a diverse range of visitors to Harrogate, many of whom then visit the town centre to shop, eat and stay.
“The HCC is undoubtedly a huge benefit to local businesses.”
District businesses donate to Ukraine aid convoyBusinesses from across the Harrogate district have shown their support for Ukraine by donating dozens of pallets of supplies.
Neom Organics has given shower gel, soap and hand sanitiser, while Taylors of Harrogate has contributed supplies of tea and coffee.
Children’s shop Milk and Honey donated thousands of pounds’ worth of clothes, from wellies and hats to summer clothes. Other donations have included bottled water and fizzy drinks.
The supplies are being sent to Global Empowerment Mission, which is distributing them to refugee camps as well as communities in Ukraine.
Organiser Whitney Vauvelle said:
“It has been an incredible effort from the Harrogate and Yorkshire community. It really speaks highly of the bread and butter of what this community is about.
“People are going numb on this and we can’t let that happen. Supply chains are severely disrupted into Ukraine so we have to keep donating and sending trucks over.”
A final collection will be held at White Horse Machinery (WHM) on Hornbeam Park on Wednesday, May 18, from 9.30am to 1.30pm, when businesses and individuals can make contributions.
Donations of non-perishable foods are needed, along with clothing including shoes, new underwear, new and like-new trainers, and sportswear for children.
For more information, call Ms Vauvelle on 07860 922600.
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Home care company expands from Harrogate base
A home care company founded in Harrogate in 2018 is expanding to a satellite office in West Yorkshire.
West Park Care will cover Ilkley, Burley in Wharefedale, Guiseley, Menston, Yeadon and surrounding areas from its new office at Wharfe Bank Mills in Otley.
Founder Tom Page said:
“We’ve got through the pandemic which has been a slog to say the least. We’ve come out of that relatively unscathed and now we’re looking to expand.”
The company offers domiciliary care to private clients in their own homes, and now has 30 staff and 44 clients on its books.
Mr Page said its point of difference was not using zero-hours contracts and paying above minimum wage, which helped it to keep staff turnover low.
Majority of young people in North Yorkshire have suffered from poor mental healthA report from a Harrogate-based organisation has found that 72% of young people said they had experienced mental health or well-being issues in the past year.
The research is part of a new report published by Healthwatch North Yorkshire. It says mental health services need “significant improvement” so more young people aged 16-24 can access the help they need.
As well as a survey, researchers organised focus groups at Harrogate College and Selby College to gather the views of young people.
Of those who said they had experienced poor mental health, only half said they sought help.
Reasons given for not seeking support included long waiting times to access support, the stigma surrounding mental health, and not knowing where to go.
Of those who did seek support, most respondents sought help from their GP, talked to friends and family, or got support at their school, college, or university.
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Those people who did get support from NHS services had a mixed response.
Some found the services helpful, but many raised concerns about long waiting times and fragmented services.
Helena, a young student involved with this research shared her own mental health experiences:
“Mental health and well-being are important topics that affect us all. However, this area still has a lot of stigmas around it, and there is a lot more that needs to be done to improve the mental health services across North Yorkshire and promote mental health across schools and colleges.
“Through personal experience I have come to value the importance of having support from all people, whether that is my friends or family, or the services provided locally, they are all vital in helping me to manage my own mental health.”
“I would call on all service providers in health and education to read this report and act on its recommendations and findings. Together we need to ensure that mental health services and support are equally provided cross the county.”
Read the full report here.
Stray Views: Harrogate potholes ‘worse than Cairo’Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.
Harrogate’s potholes worse than Cairo
Might I suggest that North Yorkshire County Council either furthers its skills in excavation or takes classes in road repairs.
I return from Cairo, Egypt regularly to visit my home town and many of the roads are a disgrace. St Mark’s Avenue, to name but one. I dare say many are in far worse states than the roads here in Egypt, and ours are bad.
I have watched St Mark’s Ave become like a major dig for some Harrogate archaeological treasure.
Please direct money, repairing many of the roads, to keep cars from becoming premature jalopies and saving the elderly from accidents who will then need emergency repairs, while crossing treacherous roads.
Harrogate should be beautiful and well kept, everywhere.
Janice Walker, Heliopolis, Cairo
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Harrogate needs flexible travel choices
I write this as someone who visits old friends in Harrogate regularly, with a flexible approach to travel choices, since I might ‘step off a train’ at Skipton, Kirkstall Forge, York or Leeds, and then get a bus, train or cycle (there’s a neat connection option Headingly-Kirkstall Forge this way – less good uphill though).
So to hear the rumblings about loss of late and early trains with Northern makes me wish that there was scope for a formal deal with the 36 and Transdev’s Harrogate Buses. As a more flexible traveller, I’ve done this mix & match a few times, when an event in Leeds ended in the evening ‘hole’ in the train service, or after the last train.
So Alex, (boss at Starbeck) how might the deal work, no handy train, eg with a through ticket for an early Leeds-London service or similar, then show your rail ticket and pay £1 to use the 36? Some might even switch for more trips?
Of course the deal might work even better with a public bike hire scheme in Leeds and Harrogate – less than five minutes on a bike gets you from Leeds Bus Station to Leeds City Rail Station, and two-wheels in Harrogate on a bad day is practically immune to traffic jams, or allows me to cut over from Bilton to Starbeck with the ‘short cut’ to catch a train for York (and its cheaper too with fares pricing).
From a bike you’d be shocked at what you’ll see drivers doing as you ride past – I saw an estate agent doing paperwork on a clip board balanced on the steering wheel as she slowly drove along in the queue and mobile phone use is as bad as it ever was, despite the more severe penalties
So instead of Northern also having the expense of running a separate bus (or several?) for those trains, work with the local bus service, and perhaps an eight-seater to deal with stations just too far away from the bus route (perhaps Pannal-Headingley?) and the smaller number of passengers for those connections?
I last owned a car 46 years ago, but for nearly five years have been able to drive a near-new electric car whenever I need to, but in that time my total spending on ‘motoring’ has been less than £200, and the wide choice of other options isn’t coloured by that ton or two of 4-wheeled indulgence that I’m paying for 24/7, but the surveys show sits idle for over 22 hours in every 24, easily costing £12-£20 per day in finance, insurance, servicing, depreciation.
Many poorer households have worked out that it’s cheaper to get a taxi to get home with their weekly shopping, and use buses (less than £2 per day unlimited travel with a bus pass) where they have worked out exactly how to get around with. Its an even better deal once you’re old enough for a bus pass, and drive a lot less.
Dave Holladay, Glasgow
Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.
New group launches for Harrogate women with menopauseA proposal to set up a group for women dealing with symptoms of the menopause has received an “overwhelming” response from the community.
Vic Smith-Dunn, who runs Harrogate-based social enterprise MyLifePool, posted the idea on the group’s Facebook page this week.
Within just a couple of hours she had numerous comments from people saying it was desperately needed. With a date for its first meeting arranged, more than 25 people signed up straight away.
Vic said:
“When you go to your GP, they haven’t necessarily been given a full in-depth education about perimenopause. Being able to say, ‘is this a possibility?’ and ‘maybe I could do this or that?’ can be helpful, but where do you find the information in the first place?
“The idea of the group is to share information – it’s about women supporting women.”
The inspiration for the group came from Vic’s own experience of perimenopause, which she said left her worried about her health. However, speaking to other women going through the same thing gave her reassurance that hormonal changes were to blame for her symptoms, including loss of memory and depression.
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When the group first meets on May 25, biochemist and nutritionist Linda Le Floch from Quality Health Foods in the Westminster Arcade will give some tips on ways to manage symptoms.
There will also be opportunities for women to submit questions in advance or ask them on the night, and to share their own stories and advice about dealing with the impact of menopause.
The way the group operates will be guided by its members, who will be able to meet for coffee, nights out and other events as frequently as they wish.
Vic also hopes to put on a larger event in future, including information for husbands and partners supporting women through menopause. She said:
“My husband did a whole load of research and got to understand the hormone imbalance so he was able to explain to me what was going on. I just wasn’t able to do that at the time.
“Without that understanding, so many marriages break down because men don’t understand what their wives are going through – the women don’t always understand it themselves.”
To book a place at the event on May 25, click here.
Malcolm Neesam: we should create a history time-line for HarrogateThis article is written for The Stray Ferret by celebrated Harrogate historian, Malcolm Neesam.
The recent installation of a York history timeline into paving in the vicinity of Clifford’s Tower appears to be causing great public interest. These timelines usually consist of a chronologically arranged list of events relating to the locality where the timeline is set, and can be adjusted to fill the amount of space available.
The best timelines consist of a bold line set into a pavement from which short entries are placed at right angles. Both the line and the entries can be made of stone, slate, tile or plastic, on to which the information is engraved. Should a suitable length of pavement not be available, the timeline can be set into a wall or put on line.
With the various proposals for alterations to the areas covered by the “Gateway” and other local projects, now is as good a time as any to consider a Harrogate History timeline for which several locations present themselves. The pavement from the entrance to the Railway Station, across Station Square and down James Street is one attractive possibility. So is the Elgar Walk from Valley Gardens entrance as far as the New Magnesia Well Cafe.
A handsome curved timeline could be inserted to the pavements around the War Memorial, to include Prospect and Cambridge Crescents. But if a dead straight line is preferred, how about Prospect Place from Victoria Avenue to the War Memorial?
Typical entries could include: “1571 William Slingsby discovers mineral qualities of the Tewit Well”; or, “2023 Council abolished as Harrogate merges with North Yorkshire”. Thus could the whole of Harrogate’s history be made clearly and easily accessible to the general public, and it is reasonable to assume that sponsorship could be found for such a high-profile undertaking.
In my opinion, a Harrogate History timeline would be a marvellous project. It could provide residents and visitors alike with an interesting and free attraction, the making of which might involve all the local schools. Harrogate has only one local museum, which despite the best efforts of the devoted staff, lacks the Council input to make it the equal of the Mercer Gallery, or indeed the three Ripon Museums, which are run by Trusts. A timeline would help focus attention on Harrogate’s past. Our Council really should give more attention to the town’s heritage.
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Did you know?
The Stray Ferret has worked with Malcolm Neesam to produce two fantastic history audio tours of Harrogate. Both last about an hour and are easy to do. The first will take you back to the golden age of Harrogate’s Victorian Spa days, the second will take you through the heart of the shopping district, stopping to learn about historic buildings as you go. To take a look click here.
Malcolm has also recently published a second major history of Harrogate. “Wells and Swells” covers the town’s Victorian heyday from 1842-1923. To find out more and how you can order a copy, click here.
Strayside Sunday: Was it Boris or was it local failure?Strayside Sunday is a monthly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party.
In the wake of last week’s local elections, Councillor Richard Cooper, the Leader of Harrogate Borough Council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the Conservatives poor showing could be put down to dissatisfaction with Boris Johnson’s national government.
And what a poor showing it was for the blues, with 10 of 21 Harrogate district seats turning yellow. The Lib Dems ended the evening as the largest group in the Harrogate district and with the most seats (8/13) on the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee.
I do, however, have some sympathy with Mr. Cooper’s view that national issues predominated. My household and our area relatives voted Liberal Democrat en masse, in some cases voting that way for the first time in their lives.
We simply could not bring ourselves to vote Conservative because of the shambles in Westminster. Shambles both singular (…Boris Johnson,) and shambles plural (…his cabinet).
I felt compelled to vote against the interests of a man with no integrity, no honour and no shame. I didn’t try, nor did I need to, persuade others in my circle to do the same. As with millions of people around the country they came to the view that Boris is not to be trusted. Nor, increasingly, is he to be liked.
We know he lied and lied again about Partygate and his role in it. We know too that whatever his role he presided over a 10 Downing Street with a work culture that would make any self-respecting American frat house blush. A culture lacking appropriate sobriety. Worse yet a culture lacking appropriate accountability.
The question that gurgles out of the Downing Street cess pit is precisely what, these days, represents a resigning issue?
I don’t contest that Boris had a half-decent coronavirus and lockdown. I think too that he has been almost exemplary in his handling of British interests and leadership in respect of Ukraine.
But these issues, and the consequential negative economic and cost of living crisis effects are going to severely test the nation in the months ahead and to navigate that needs the government to reach into a now non-existent goodwill bank account.
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Boris is responsible for that penury, along with Rishi’s wealth and wife’s non-dom status, Priti’s ghastly and shaming “send them back to Rwanda” policy, and pretty much anything to do with Jacob Rees-Mogg.
This government’s juice is not worth the squeeze: As a result councils like Westminster, Wandsworth, Barnet and Southampton slipped from Tory grasp last week and the North Yorkshire almost did.
Andrew Jones MP must now be in fear of his seat, bless him. Harrogate has a solid Liberal Democrat base again and a recent tradition of its parliamentary representation.
When approached for comment by the Ferret on local elections night he waved our intrepid journo away. Not for him it seems to speak to local residents through, by some margin, the most read news outlet in the district.
Prideful nose bitten to save fearful face? Silly man. He may well come to regret his stance come the night of the next General Election, if indeed he stands – some think that he may give way to a Richard Cooper candidacy.
If so, Stray Ferret readers can no doubt look forward to continuing ghosting from the local Conservative Party during the next couple of years. This kind of behaviour goes beyond the obviously misguided view in some local Tory circles that the Ferret is a Liberal Democrat organ and becomes a democratic insult to local constituents.
Which brings me back to the local election results. Whatever the national picture Harrogate Borough Council has not covered itself in glory these past few years. Expensive (vanity?) projects like the Knapping Mount council HQ, Appy Parking, and now the Station Gateway development substituting for a concerted and sustained effort to get the planning and economic development knitting right.
The town centre of Harrogate is a sorry mess; with empty shop fronts and discount outlets wherever you look. Oxford Street’s concrete desert lacks any sort of charm.
This was meant to sorted out through the town plan, a plan which was never used as the means to bring people together in share municipal endeavour. Instead, multiple outsourced and bought consultations led to division, stasis and, as we can see, inaction.
National issues were important last Thursday, but don’t kid yourselves that local issues didn’t matter at all, Messrs Jones and Cooper.
Your tenure has been marked by arrogance and a lack of focus on issues that matter a great deal to local people. And, notwithstanding that responsibility for highways rests with North Yorkshire County Council, the landmine like potholes and crazy pavements of the district matter too.
If indeed Double Devolution happens as Leader of NYCC Councillor Les Carl says it still will, the newly formed Harrogate Town Council will need to get a grip and quickly. If not, the local Liberal Democrat ascendency might very well continue.
That’s my Strayside Sunday.
PS Love the Stray Ferret’s royal bunting!
Why are film crews flocking to the Harrogate district?Whether it is fantasy films or period dramas, the Harrogate district has become a hotspot for film crews to shoot big productions.
This past year has seen Harrogate town centre and Fountains Abbey play host to major film and television stars, including Simon Pegg and Bridgeton star Phoebe Dynevor.
Earlier this week, Pegg was spotted shooting a scene for his upcoming film Nandor Fodor and The Talking Mongoose on Crown Place.
Simon Pegg filming in Harrogate on Monday.
While the district can offer picturesque scenes for Netflix and film productions, local industry officials say there is more to Harrogate which attracts crews.
Film crews love Harrogate
Chris Hordley is production liaison and development manager at Screen Yorkshire, a body which helps production companies film projects in the region.
The organisation helps major films get off the ground in Yorkshire by giving them location options and helping find crew members to support shooting scenes.
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Mr Hordley said while Harrogate is a perfect place for fantasy films, period dramas and other series, its hospitality is part of the reason why production teams keep coming back.
“They love it.
“A lot of the feedback we get is that it is well placed for hotels. If they [the crew] are not from Yorkshire, they get places to stay over.
“They will say to us: ‘I loved it so much that I booked a weekend for my family’. We get that a lot.”
He added that the ability to get from the centre of Harrogate to another location, such as Newby Hall near Ripon, in a short space of time was also part of the appeal.
“You can also get to lots of interesting locations in a short time. It’s a good place.”
More productions to come
Areas of the district have hosted many major productions over the years.
The Nidd Gorge viaduct was used to film a scene in Paddington 2 and Plumpton Rocks and Fountains Abbey feature in the The Witcher, a popular Netflix series.
Plumpton Rocks and Fountains Abbey both star in The Witcher.
Mr Hordley said Screen Yorkshire has a database of around 1,500 locations in the region, which they offer to production companies.
This includes landscapes, historic buildings, private businesses and major cities like Leeds and York.
Mr Hordley added that Yorkshire and Harrogate is often used to portray a different place because of the history and heritage locations.
“A lot of what we do is portraying Yorkshire as somewhere else.
“Yorkshire and Harrogate is really good for storytelling for past and present, feature and fantasy.”
All Creatures Great and Small
Mr Hordley pointed to All Creatures Great and Small, which is filmed mainly in Grassington but also in Harrogate as an example of a successful historical series that has put the district on the map.
More recently, Simon Pegg’s upcoming film, Nandor Fodor and The Talking Mongoose is a film based on the story of the para-psychologist from the 1930s and was shot in Harrogate.
When asked whether people in the Harrogate district can expect to be on television screens more in the future, he said:
“You absolutely can.
“We have been working hard on more projects. There are projects that will be happening in Harrogate.”
Bilsdale mast ‘on track to be completed this year’A new 314-metre mast at Bilsdale remains on track to be completed by the end of the year, the company behind the plan has said.
Arqiva chief executive Paul Donovan said the firm was striving to halve the time normally taken to replace such a towering structure on one of the country’s most environmentally sensitive sites at Bilsdale on the North York Moors.
The mast provides television and radio coverage to areas in the Harrogate district, such as Ripon.
Mr Donovan was speaking at North Yorkshire-based firm Severfield’s expansive plant at Dalton Airfield Industrial Estate, near Thirsk, as it was announced the steel firm had won the contract, thought to be worth tens of millions of pounds, to fabricate the 200-tonne structure.
Arqiva is expecting the final of five investigations, from the firm’s insurance company, into the cause of the fire which destroyed the previous mast in August last year to be completed in the next two weeks.
Mr Donovan said:
“That I’m sure will be of great interest to everybody. It’s been a source of frustration for us that it has taken so long, but we had to have due process around something as significant as this.”
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Severfield, which has previously worked on large-scale projects such as the London Olympic Stadium and the London Shard, said it had been handed “tight timescales” to produce the structure in order that viewers across Yorkshire and the North-East get a full restoration of signals as soon as possible.
The coming months will see the steel fabricated by Severfield, before going away to galvanised and being turned into flat pack-style units and taken to Bilsdale for it to be reassembled in a modular way.
Mr Donovan said:
“I’m very satisfied with the progress we are making on what will ultimately be one of Britain’s top 10 tallest structures at 314m-high, weighing 200 tonnes with lots of very complex electronics and other equipment which needs to be installed upon it.
“At the moment it is on track, but as with all things it is weather dependent, as you can only work at height when the wind is below a certain velocity, so we’re hoping for a good summer.
“Everybody has really pulled the stops out to ensure their normal delivery timeframes get shrunk without any compromise to quality. We all realise the importance to people of getting this project finished so we can have service fully restored to what it was before.”
Different design
When asked if the new structure had been designed to avert a repeat of the catastrophic incident which irreversibly damaged the previous mast, Mr Donovan replied:
“It’s too early to be definitive about that, but if you look at this structure it’s a fundamentally different design.
“The previous mast was a cylindrical structure, but the new mast will be a lattice-based structure which actually has some benefits in its ability to tolerate wind, but also if there were any fire on a lattice-based structure it is potentially less vulnerable to the kind of catastrophic outcomes we saw before.
“The previous tower was 50 years old and technology, construction and aerodynamics have all moved forward tremendously during that time.”
Over the coming months the firm will have to report to both Ofcom and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport about its overall response.
Mr Donovan said:
“We have responded many ways in an exemplary way, going way beyond the contractual requirements we have with our customers.
“In terms of processes there are things which we now know we would do better, but there isn’t anything I have seen so far that would have prevented what happened.”