Business representatives in Knaresborough, Ripon and Pateley Bridge have reacted with “dismay” to news that Harrogate Borough Council could spend £46.8m renovating the town’s convention centre.
A confidential cabinet report leaked to The Stray Ferret has urged councillors to support the huge investment in the 40-year-old centre this week.
The news is likely to be welcomed by businesses in Harrogate but the wider district is less convinced of its merit.
Stephen Teggin, president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, said:
“I’m somewhat dismayed about this.
“It’s all about Harrogate. We are struggling like mad to keep Knaresborough going and attract tourists and the council finds £50m to keep something going that already loses money. It’s unfair.”
Stephen Teggin of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade called for fair investment in the district’s markets
Mr Teggin called on the council to find £50,000 a year to keep markets in Ripon and Knaresborough going.
“The markets are what pull in coaches for us, just like the convention centre does for Harrogate.
“They must spend the same amount of money, pro rata, on tourism here.”
Stephen Craggs, co-director of Ripon home appliances store G Craggs, said he wouldn’t begrudge Harrogate receiving such a huge sum but questioned the wisdom of spending it on the centre.
“That ship sailed 20 years ago. The centre is not big enough to compete with the likes of Manchester and the NEC in Birmingham. They’re flogging a dead horse.”
Mr Craggs suggested the centre would be better utilised as an indoor shopping centre.
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Tim Ledbetter, chair of Nidderdale Chamber of Trade in Pateley Bridge, said it was “less than impressed” by the council’s plan.
Mr Ledbetter said there was no overall business vision for the district and added it was “debatable” whether Pateley businesses reaped any benefits from events in Harrogate.
The council has said there is a “very real risk that the venue will not survive” if councillors do not agree to press ahead with plans for renovation on Wednesday. It says the centre attracts 157,000 visitors a year, has an economic impact worth £35m and supports thousands of jobs across the district.
Stuart Holland, co-chair of Harrogate Civic Society, said the 1960s-style centre was “nothing to be proud of” architecturally and welcomed the opportunity for improvement.
Mr Holland added any renovation should be sympathetic to the society’s attempts to develop a cultural quarter in Harrogate.
