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10
Jan
New tenant imminent for Harrogate's former Viper Rooms
A new tenant is in a position to move into the former Viper Rooms premises in Harrogate's Royal Baths, it was revealed today.
The nightclub closed suddenly in December 2022 when North Yorkshire Council, which owns the Royal Baths, repossessed the site from Viper Rooms owner Paul Kinsey.
The site has been vacant since, which has contributed to the Royal Baths generating a poor rate of return in the council’s commercial property portfolio.
The council paid £9.5 million in 2018 for the grade two listed building but a report by the local authority in 2023 valued it at £7 million, leading to claims that it was an "under-performing trophy asset".
The council declined to reveal how much the two-year vacancy of the building had cost the taxpayer when asked by the Stray Ferret.
But with the Wicked Wolf opening last month in the former Potting Shed unit in the Royal Baths, there are hopes the historic Victorian building could yield better results.
Gary Fielding, the council’s corporate director of resources, said:
An offer has been accepted for a new tenant to occupy the unit that formerly housed the Viper Rooms in Harrogate’s Royal Baths building.
Discussions have been ongoing with legal representatives to resolve outstanding issues, and we are delighted that we are now in a position for the new tenant to move in. All parties hope this can happen as soon as possible.
It is crucial that we continue to drive economic growth in our town centres, and this positive news comes just weeks after the arrival of the Wicked Wolf bar and restaurant.
The Wicked Wolf
The council has indicated on numerous occasions that moves towards securing a new tenant were progressing.
In December 2022, Mr Fielding said there had been “significant interest from potential tenants”. In March 2023, he said an agent had been appointed “to co-ordinate discussions with potential tenants” and in February last year the council said it had accepted an offer to rent out the site.
Today’s update indicates the final legal hurdles have been cleared, but the council has not said who is moving in or when.
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