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07
Aug
Call for council to reconsider Royal Hall disabled parking decision
A disability charity has called on North Yorkshire Council to reconsider a decision over accessible parking at Harrogate’s Royal Hall.
The Stray Ferret reported in June that disabled parking bays had been removed from outside the venue.
People with blue badge permits had previously been able to park at the front of the hall, which is part of Harrogate Convention Centre.
At the time, Cllr Carl Les, leader of the council, said the move was necessary to comply with requirements in the Terrorism Act.
The act, which is also known as Martyn's Law, received Royal Assent on April 3 this year. It was named after Martyn Hett who was killed alongside 21 others in the Manchester Arena terror attack in May 2017.
Cllr Les added the arrangement outside the Royal Hall had been “informal” and that the areas also played “an important role in providing safe exit in the event of an emergency”.
The council said there was accessible parking in Harrogate Convention Centre’s underground car park, as well as disabled parking for blue badge holders in the Jubilee car park on Union Street.
Now, Disability Action Yorkshire has called on the council to “find a suitable resolution” to arrangements for disabled parking at the venue.
The blue badge parking area outside the Royal Hall, which has since been removed.
Jackie Snape, chief executive of the Harrogate-based charity, said the organisation was “surprised and concerned” when it learned of the removal of the parking bays.
She said the charity approached the council to put forward suggestions for alternative parking, but was told that no changes would be considered until a broader town centre parking review was completed.
Ms Snape said:
When we asked North Yorkshire Council what alternative arrangements would be provided to ensure continued access to the Royal Hall for disabled people, we were informed that no alternatives are currently planned. North Yorkshire Council advised that the nearest available parking is at the Harrogate Convention Centre or the Jubilee car park. Unfortunately, both locations are too far away to be practical for those with mobility impairments.
We have put forward a number of alternative suggestions, but were told that no changes will be considered until a broader town centre parking review is completed. As yet, no timeline for this review has been provided.
We are deeply disappointed by this response, which fails to recognise the legal and moral responsibility to ensure accessibility and inclusion for disabled people. We strongly urge North Yorkshire Council to reconsider this decision and would welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively to find a suitable resolution that allows all members of the community to enjoy performances at the Royal Hall.
The Stray Ferret approached the council for a response to the charity’s concerns, but it referred us to its original statement in June.
At the time, it said:
There has been an informal parking arrangement for blue badge holders which allowed parking in the hatched areas. These areas play an important role in providing safe exit in the event of an emergency like a fire or other incident.
Following the introduction of Martyn’s Law, which relates to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 all events and venues need to ensure they have robust plans in place to protect visitors and staff. This means parking in these areas cannot continue because it would be an obstruction.
Whilst the risk of an attack in this region is thankfully very low, the balance between access, parking, safety and security is one we constantly consider and take very seriously.
There are a number of disabled parking bays at Harrogate Convention Centre of which the Royal Hall is part of should blue badge holders wish to park there.
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