Harrogate Station Gateway: why are businesses so opposed?

Businesses and council representatives clashed in a heated two-hour debate about the £10.9 million Harrogate Station Gateway scheme last night.

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce hosted the largest face-to-face gathering to discuss the revised design plans.

The meeting revealed deep divisions between businesses and those championing the scheme, which aims to make the area around the train station more attractive and easier to navigate for cyclists and pedestrians.

Only four people out of about 75 in the room stood when asked to do so if they supported reducing traffic on Station Parade to single lane.

That is one of the most controversial aspects of the scheme, along with pedestrianising the section of James Street from Princes Square to Station Parade

The meeting ended with some businesses threatening to apply for a judicial review to halt the scheme. But why are businesses so opposed to a scheme that is supposed to make the town centre more attractive and increase visitors?

Below are some of the key talking points.

As consultation on the revised plans, which are supported by North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council, draws to a close on Friday, it remains to be seen whether the issues can be resolved.

1 Why is it necessary?

North Yorkshire County Councillor Don Mackenzie, the executive member for access who is leading on the scheme, said Harrogate was the most congested place in North Yorkshire besides York.

He said a Harrogate congestion study run by the council four years ago in response to the decision not to proceed with a bypass, provided a mandate for change because about 80% of respondents said they wanted the town centre to be friendlier to cyclists and pedestrians. The study generated 15,500 replies, which Cllr Mackenzie said was the council’s “largest ever public engagement”.

Harrogate businessman Terry Bramall said a lot had changed in the four years since the Harrogate Congestion Study. He said plans to pedestrianise part of James Street would “create havoc with traffic flows” and questioned why cycling groups had been consulted but “as a property owner on James Street I haven’t been approached”.

Cllr Mackenzie replied that he’d spoken to three businesses on James Street that were supportive of the scheme and that those proposing it had “made themselves available at all times”.

Don Mackenzie at chamber meeting

Don Mackenzie (left) speaking at last night’s meeting.

2 Loss of parking and disruption

Just 40 parking spaces would be lost, said Cllr Mackenzie, mainly on James Street. But some businesses were worried about the knock-on effects.

Sue Savill, director of Party Fever on Station Parade, said plans to reduce Station Parade to single lane traffic and build a cycle route on land currently used for parking outside shops on her side of the street would create major problems.

Matthew Roberts, economy and transport officer at Harrogate Borough Council, said there were plans to make it easier to cross Station Parade but added “you are one of the businesses we need to speak to about logistics”.

Ms Savill said this was all very well but carrying a pallet of stock into the shop from the other side would be problematic.

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3 Where is the evidence it will boost trade?

Nick Brown, a Conservative who represents Bishop Monkton and Newby on Harrogate Borough Council, asked whether a detailed economic assessment of the impact on businesses had been conducted and, if so, could it be made public before the consultation ends.

Dan Harper, executive officer economy and transport at Harrogate Borough Council, said the final economic impact assessment couldn’t be produced until the final designs for the scheme, which is currently at revised design stage, were available. Mr Harper said this was the standard ‘continual process’ approach recommended by the Treasury, adding:

“It’s not something we ignore or don’t do.”

Independent retailer William Woods also asked for evidence that the scheme wouldn’t have a negative impact on the town’s economy.

Cllr Mackenzie replied:

“I believe this investment will be a boost to the town centre.”

Hazel Barry, chief executive of toiletries firm H2k, said:

“I don’t see any evidence. There’s nothing in this report that says it will bring me more customers and bring more visitors to the town. If we are going to move forward on this project we need some answers otherwise it’s a lot of money for not much reward.”

Station Gateway design

Just four people in the meeting supported making Station Parade single lane.

4 Is the traffic modelling accurate?

Businesses were sceptical about claims that making Station Parade single lane would not cause congestion or clog up side roads, particularly those off Cheltenham Parade.

Sue Kramer, who owns Crown Jewellers, asked “are we going to let a computer programme decide the future of our roads?”.

Sarah Spencer, of tax consultancy Sarah Spencer Ltd, said such modelling tended to “start with the answer they want and work back”.

Matthew Roberts, economy and transport officer at Harrogate Borough Council, said there would be an extra two or three cars a minute on Cheltenham Mount.

Responding to questions about why Harrogate Borough Council had not deemed an environmental impact assessment necessary, he said:

“The impact on air quality isn’t a massive one.”

Aidan Rayner, Transforming Cities Fund delivery project manager at North Yorkshire County Council, denied claims that traffic data was based on lockdown levels. He said it was based on 2018 levels even though there was evidence that traffic had reduced by 6% since then.

Karl Battersby, corporate director for business and environmental services at the county council, said there had been “no meddling of the data” and said this scheme didn’t go as far as others elsewhere in the country to encourage active travel, which had introduced measures such as low emission zones.

5 Will it make the town centre more attractive?

The gateway aims to improve people’s first impressions of Harrogate when they arrive by train by opening up the space around the Queen Victoria monument. It also aims to increase footfall by encouraging more people to bring their bikes on the train to Harrogate, or make it easier and more pleasant for local people to cross the town centre on bike or foot.

Daniel d’Arcy Thompson, managing director of Fabric and Co, said the gateway epitomised “pocket planning” whereby funding was secured for individual projects that didn’t take a joined-up approach to improving the town. He said:

“This is micro pocket planning at its worst. Until you give us a full scheme it’s just nonsense.”

Cllr Mackenzie said other schemes in the pipeline, such as the Otley Road cycle route, showed a joined-up approach to getting across town by bike.

Fortune Tofa, an accountant, told the meeting:

“The town is looking dated. We need to be bold and embrace this to continue to be relevant.”

What is the Harrogate Station Gateway?

The Harrogate scheme is one of three projects worth a combined £42m in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund, which encourages cycling and walking.

They are being delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Craven District Council and Selby District Council.

A consultation on the revised designs ends on Friday. It is anticipated that work in Harrogate will begin by the middle of next year.

To take part in the online consultation, which ends on Friday, click here.

 

Drug dealer jailed after posing as taxi driver in Harrogate

A drug dealer posing as an Uber taxi driver has been jailed for over two years after dealing drugs in Harrogate in a liveried cab.

Azar Iqbal Rehman, 51, was arrested by police in the Asda car park in Harrogate where he had been loitering in the ‘taxi’, York Crown Court heard.

When police approached the vehicle and tried to confiscate the car keys, the fake cabbie tried to drive off, said prosecutor John Hobley.

Officers searched the vehicle and found 72 cocaine bags and 20 MDMA packets, as well as £710 cash.

Rehman, a married father-of-five who worked as a lorry driver, told officers there were “more drugs at his home”, added Mr Hobley.

Police searched his house and found a further 126 cocaine packets hidden in a lock box inside his bedroom and more cash.

Mr Hobley said the total amount of drugs seized was 85g of cocaine and over 6g of MDMA, an ecstasy-type drug, with an estimated street value of more than £17,000.

Rehman, of Rhodesway, Bradford, was charged with two counts of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and one count of possessing criminal property, namely £1,255 cash.

He admitted the offences and appeared for sentence on Tuesday.

‘Half-hearted’ escape attempt

Mr Hobley said Rehman was caught in December 2019 when two officers in an unmarked car became suspicious when they saw the Uber ‘cab’ parked some distance from the entrance to the supermarket. Their suspicions were heightened when it didn’t move for over 20 minutes.

When they approached the vehicle, which was “liveried as an Uber taxi”, Rehman “appeared nervous”.

He was removed from the vehicle after his “half-hearted” attempt at escape.

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Along with the drugs and cash, officers found a mobile phone inside the vehicle, which had a “stream of text messages containing addresses”.

They also found a “dealer debt list”, said Mr Hobley.

Rehman told police he had been dealing for about four months under direction from others.

He claimed he had been paid £150 a week by his drug bosses, but a financial investigation found that £6,000 had been deposited into his bank account during the four months he had been dealing.

Addicted to cocaine

George Hazel-Owram, mitigating, said Rehman had never been in trouble before and started dealing after becoming addicted to cocaine and running up a debt to his own suppliers.

However, he conceded that although there was a “degree of pressure” from those higher up the chain, it “fell far short of duress”.

Rehman had been “directed to drive to certain addresses to deliver drugs”, added the barrister.

He said Rehman had worked “throughout his adult life”, lately as a HGV driver but “predominantly” as a bus driver.

Judge Simon Hickey said Rehman had clearly made a “substantial amount of cash” from his drug enterprise.

He said the fact that Rehman was making drug deliveries in an Uber ‘taxi’ was an aggravating factor as he was “operating under the guise of a taxi to deal drugs on the street”.

He said the police investigation debunked Rehman’s claim that he was only dealing to pay off a drug debt.

He told Rehman:

“You must understand that anybody who deals in Class A drugs is dealing in a pernicious, revolting drug because it causes death (and) misery.”

He said although it was Rehman’s “first foray” into drug-dealing and he had family commitments, it could only be an immediate jail sentence.

Rehman was jailed for two years and eight months. He will serve half of that sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence.

Harrogate district gears up for comic convention with giveaway

Libraries will give away comic books on Friday as the Harrogate district gears up for the arrival of a comic art convention this weekend.

More than 400 artists and exhibitors are set to attend the Thought Bubble Comic Art Convention on Saturday and Sunday at Harrogate Convention Centre.

Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk and Batman and Sin City artist Frank Miller are among the guests.

Other artists include Joelle Jones (illustrator and writer for Batman and Catwoman) and Doug Braithwaite (artist for many Marvel and DC comics, including Wolverine, Thor and Batman).

Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as their favourite characters, and there will be a competition for the best homemade cosplay outfits.

North Yorkshire County Council, which runs libraries, has teamed up with Thought Bubble to offer free comics and graphic novels for people to take home or give to friends on Friday.

The comic books will be available on a first come, first served basis at libraries throughout North Yorkshire. The giveaway includes titles from Marvel and DC, including stories about the likes of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Avengers and more.

Harrogate’s library will also host an exhibition of artwork, fan-made zines and comics created by art and design students at Harrogate College.

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County Councillor Greg White, executive member for libraries, said:

“Comics are not only fun, but can be a great way for children to develop their love of reading, so this giveaway is not to be missed.

“The county’s libraries has an extensive range of comics and graphic novels for children and adults – both in branches and online – so anyone who enjoys comics or wants to rediscover them should visit their library or search our online catalogue to see what’s on offer.”

Comics will be available from the libraries in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Skipton, Northallerton, Selby, Pickering, Malton, Whitby, Filey and Scarborough.

Harrogate businesses consider legal challenge to Station Gateway

Harrogate businesses are considering mounting a legal challenge to halt the £10.9 million Station Gateway scheme.

About 80 people attended an at times bad tempered Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce meeting last night, at which numerous businesses clashed with the five men leading the scheme.

Supporters insisted it would make Harrogate town centre more attractive and boost business but business owners were not convinced.

After almost two hours of debate, chamber chief executive David Simister said he had been asked to put forward a motion that said “if the scheme is not halted and thoroughly reviewed, substantially revised and / or scrapped we feel we will have no alternative but to seek a judicial review”.

Attendees overwhelmingly supported the motion, raising the prospect of the scheme heading to the courts.

It is not known which businesses put forward the motion or whether it will be acted on but a judicial review could either derail the scheme or delay it long enough to jeopardise funding.

Karl Battersby, corporate director for business and environmental services at North Yorkshire County Council, which is leading on the gateway scheme, told the Stray Ferret after the meeting:

“We would defend a judicial review robustly because we believe we have followed due process and there is no ground legally to challenge it.”

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North Yorkshire County Councillor Don Mackenzie, the executive member for access who is leading the gateway scheme, said he too did not think a judicial review would succeed but with the consultation on the revised plans due to end on Friday, he said “a decision would be taken on whether to go ahead”.

Cllr Mackenzie added he had been assured the meeting was purely for businesses and he was surprised to see some residents also attend,

What happens now?

Individuals can apply to the courts for a judicial review when they believe a public body has not followed the correct procedures. They can’t do so simply because they disagree with the outcome of a decision.

Mr Simister said the chamber hadn’t proposed the motion and it would be up to individual businesses to decide whether to pursue a judicial review.

The gateway scheme aims to transform the area around Harrogate train station. It would part pedestrianise James Street and reduce traffic on Station Parade to a single lane while encouraging cycling and walking.

Although it has widespread public support, it faces strong opposition from businesses, which feel it could damage trade. They also believe there is insufficient evidence to support claims it will enhance footfall and business.

Sue Kramer, who owns Crown Jewellers on Commercial Street and is vice-president of the chamber, was loudly cheered when she said the first consultation on the scheme, held during lockdown was “not fit for purpose” and did not show clear support for the scheme. Ms Kramer said those proposing the scheme “should consider re-holding the consultation”.

Station Gateway designs

James Street would be partly pedestrianised.

What is the Harrogate Station Gateway?

The Harrogate scheme is one of three projects worth a combined £42m in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund, which encourages cycling and walking.

They are being delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Craven District Council and Selby District Council.

A consultation on the revised designs ends on Friday. It is anticipated that work in Harrogate will begin by the middle of next year.

 

 

Harrogate gas leak: public meeting to be held

Northern Gas Networks is to hold a public meeting to discuss the recent leak that left 3,000 Harrogate homes without gas for 48 hours.

Discussing the cause of the leak for the first time, the company said in a statement that sub-contractors had damaged the underground pipe on Ripon Road in Jennyfields, where roadworks were taking place.

Gas supply to homes in the HG1, HG2, HG3 and HG4 areas was affected for two days from October 15 to 17. The Styan Community Centre in Jennyfields was converted into an emergency hub where residents could collect electric heaters and food vouchers.

The statement added the company had informed the Health and Safety Executive, the government agency responsible for workplace safety, and “instructed an internal investigation to understand the full circumstances”. No further details have been released.

It said:

“While the internal investigation is still ongoing, Northern Gas Networks can confirm that the gas pipe was damaged during essential gas mains replacement work which was being carried out by a specialist sub-contractor working on behalf of Northern Gas Networks.

“In the coming weeks Northern Gas Networks will be hosting a public meeting and inviting customers and stakeholders to join Northern Gas Networks colleagues to reflect on the incident and take a deeper look at the events of that weekend.

“The purpose of the meeting is to give customers the opportunity to share their feedback and for Northern Gas Networks to gather valuable insight to enable them to continue to improve their response.”

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John Richardson, customer operations director at Northern Gas Networks, said:

“The safety of our engineers and members of the public is our priority and we are supporting the teams and contracting partners involved to ensure that we learn from what happened and put the appropriate measures in place so that safety is never compromised.”

Traffic lights on Ripon Road, which had been in place since early September while Northern Gas Networks completed engineering work to upgrade metal gas mains, were removed last weekend.

 

Plans submitted to demolish burned-out Starbeck building

An application has been submitted to demolish the former McColl’s building on Starbeck High Street.

A fire ripped through the supermarket in July 2018, but more than three years later, the Victorian-era building is still a burned-out shell with much of its roof missing.

In recent months discussions have taken place between owner Bates & Hemingborough and Harrogate Borough Council over the future of the building. Planning officers have focused on whether the existing building, which is not listed, can be retained and refurbished.

However, the owner is moving forward with plans to demolish it ahead of a full planning application that will include new retail and housing units.

The application to demolish the building has been submitted to HBC under Permitted Development rules, which allows the demolition of a building if it is a safety risk or uninhabitable.

Liberal Democrat Starbeck councillor Philip Broadbank welcomed the proposal. He said:

“I’m glad the application has gone in. I’m hoping the developer will put an exhibition of their plans in St Andrew’s Church so people can see what they want to do. They need to get on with it.”

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North Yorkshire Police appoints new deputy chief constable

North Yorkshire Police has appointed a new deputy chief constable following the retirement of Phil Cain, who had been with the force for more than 20 years.

Mabs Hussain, who is currently with Greater Manchester Police as assistant chief constable, will take up the role on January 3.

Prior to his time in Manchester, Mr Hussain spent 22 years at West Yorkshire Police where he served at every rank as a detective.

As chief superintendent, he was the commander for Wakefield and also spent time as commander for the Leeds district. He was awarded an MBE in 2018 for his services to charity and policing.

Mabs Hussain

Mr Hussain said:

“Yorkshire is very close to my heart, as I was born here and I also live here. I will be working hard to ensure that North Yorkshire remains one of the safest places to live and visit in the UK.”

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Chief constable Lisa Winward added:

“His extensive policing background and experience will be a credit to the force and I am very much looking forward to working with him as part of our chief officer team.”

Jenni Newberry, acting North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:

“Our executive management team has been involved in this selection process which was made difficult in the best of ways by the quality of the candidates being considered.”

Mr Cain is paid £123,648. A North Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said it didn’t have the information yet on Mr Hussain’s salary.

Pictured: (left to right): New North Yorkshire Police deputy chief constable Mabs Hussain, acting police, fire and crime commissioner Jenni Newberry and chief constable Lisa Winward.

Oh yes he is! Tim Stedman stars in Harrogate panto as Buttons

The much-loved actor, Tim Stedman, returns for his 21st pantomime at Harrogate Theatre this year as Buttons and promises an evening of laughter and a little bit of magic.

The cast and crew are busy at Harrogate Theatre preparing to return to the stage later this month with a pantomime classic, Cinderella.

Regular panto goers will be delighted to see Tim Stedman return. He has performed at Harrogate Theatre every festive season since 2000 – only missing last year due to covid.

He said the love from the audience and the hard work of the production team keep him coming back:

“I think Harrogate [theatre] does it properly with magic, with a twinkle in its eye, and the story is king. You could come and watch it and not hear the gags or see my comedic dancing and still leave saying that’s a lovely story.

People think of Harrogate as a chocolate box of a town, wonderful and idyllic, and they’re very good at the theatre of thinking that’s how the pantomime should be.. it’s magical here.”

Mr Stedman said returning after taking a break last year has made him more eager than ever to take to the stage.

He promised plenty of comedy sketches, romance and even a whoopee cushion or two!

Some of the panto cast during rehearsals this week.

Over the years, Mr Stedman has performed in Jack and the Beanstalk and Aladdin but says with audiences falling in love with his characters brings added pressure:

“I still enjoy it as much as I did 20 years ago, but coming back each year does mean I feel the pressure a little bit.

I have to be funny and everything the audience expects and especially after being hidden away for two years really we need to make sure we do it right.”

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Mr Stedman kept tight-lipped about all the surprises and twists and turns in this year’s production but promised audiences the family-friendly, hilarious pantomime they have come to expect in Harrogate.

“It’s very funny; the ugly sisters are very funny, the prince is drop-dead gorgeous, our Cinderella looks fab. I think it’s going to be great, everyone loves Cinderella!”

Mr Stedman may say that the audience needs to love the story – but to many he is the main attraction and his talent guarantees a great panto every year.

Get ready to boo, hiss, shout and sing this November as the pantomime gets underway from November 26.

If you want to get in the mood ahead of the panto, check out our Panto Stories performed by Tim Stedman.

To find out what other events like this are on in the Harrogate district, check out our What’s On page. 

Still no decision on future of Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens

A decision on the future of Harrogate Borough Council’s former Crescent Gardens offices is still to be made, almost two years after the building was sold.

Impala Estates, a property investment company in Harrogate, bought the building in January 2020 for £4 million.

It submitted a planning application in March this year to transform the building into offices, a gym and a rooftop restaurant.

Under the plans, the empty building, which was built in the 1890s, would be refurbished and extended by adding two floors.

The Stray Ferret approached Impala Estates to ask how the plans were progressing. However, the developer did not reply by the time of publication. It has not provided an update on its Crescent Gardens website since April 1.

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Harrogate Borough Council confirmed that its planning committee had not yet set a date to hear the plans.

The council planning portal, which has 120 documents relating to the document, indicates that the developers are currently responding to concerns from consultees, such as Yorkshire Water and North Yorkshire County Council.

How the rooftop restaurant would look. Photo: S+SA Architects.

The saga of Harrogate Borough Council’s former offices

The future of Crescent Gardens, which has been empty for four years since the council relocated to Knapping Mount in 2017, has become a long-running saga.

Harrogate Borough Council announced when it moved into its new offices that local developer Adam Thorpe would buy the site for £6.31 million.

Mr Thorpe said he would spend £75 million on a refurbishment, which would include an art gallery, underground car park, swimming pool, restaurant and luxury apartments.

Two years later he said he had agreed the sale of 10 of the 12 properties but Mr Thorpe’s company, ATP Ltd, then collapsed with debts of almost £11million, including £24,394 to the council.

The site then went back on the market and was eventually sold to Impala Estates.

Bettys reveals Christmas window in Harrogate

It is officially Christmas at one of Harrogate’s most famous locations.

Bettys has installed Christmas windows at its tearooms in Harrogate, York, Northallerton and Ilkley.

Father Christmas popped by the Harrogate tearoom for a sneak preview and to welcome the launch of the company’s festive afternoon tea.

It comes days after Harrogate Business Improvement District partnered with the Rotary Club of Harrogate to announce the start of this year’s Christmas Shop Window competition.

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