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04
Feb 2022
Council refuses to say if jobs at risk at Harrogate Convention Centre
Harrogate Borough Council has refused to say whether any jobs are at risk of redundancy as part of an ongoing staffing review at Harrogate Convention Centre.
The review began last year and is expected to conclude in April.
It is being headed by centre director Paula Lorimer who has a core team of 21 staff including managers, accounts and admin staff and events planners.
The council, which owns the venue, said in a statement that changes to the staffing structure are being considered because the reopening of the centre after covid restrictions had “highlighted a need” to review how events are delivered.
However, the council refused to say if any jobs were at risk of redundancy.
A council spokesperson said:
The staffing review is due to be discussed at a meeting of the council’s human resources committee on February 10.
Read more:
- Major redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre could start in October
- Harrogate Convention Centre boss warns big events ‘at risk’ unless £47m refurbishment is accelerated
- Harrogate Convention Centre re-development to be speeded up over £475,000 loss fears
The committee previously discussed the changes behind closed doors in December, and it is likely this will happen again at next week’s meeting.
Ms Lorimer – who is one of the council’s top earners with a £104,502 salary – said in a report that the convention centre did not earn any income from events in 2021/22.
She said this was because of covid cancellations and the venue’s use as an NHS Nightingale hospital, although she added events have since made a positive return.
Ms Lorimer said:
£47m refurbishment in pipeline
The staffing review comes after the council created a new destination management organisation in 2020 when Gemma Rio was appointed as its head to promote the Harrogate district as “exceptional place to visit, meet and invest”.
It also comes as the council is pushing ahead with plans for a major redevelopment of the convention centre.
This week the council’s cabinet backed the spending of £2.8 million in cash reserves to speed up the first phase of the works at the venue’s studio two.
Overall, the whole project could cost up to £47 million over three phases if approved and involve three exhibition halls being demolished to make way for a new 5,000 sq m hall and a refurbished auditorium.
A decision on the plans is expected from councillors in summer.
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