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23
Jan
Harrogate Convention Centre designs to be finished this month
Designs for a planned £49m redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre will be finished this month, according to North Yorkshire Council.
The council-owned convention centre opened in 1982 with conferences providing a boost to the town’s bars, restaurants and hotels.
However, it has struggled to record a profit with successive administrations wrestling with what to do with it.
Harrogate Borough Council announced a major refurbishment of the facility two years ago and its new owner North Yorkshire Council has continued to develop the proposals.
In an update, the council has now said these designs are almost complete.
The drawings are still to be made public but they will go to the council’s Conservative-run executive in early spring to decide on what happens next.
North Yorkshire Council, which is looking to slash £70 million from its budget over the next three years, has not said how it intends to pay for the project. It’s seen several two levelling up funding bids for the scheme rejected by government.
Last week, the Stray Ferret reported comments by chief executive Richard Flinton where he said the council would be open to selling part or all of the facility to a private business.
Nic Harne, the council’s corporate director for community development, said:
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