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08
Mar
Petition launched after Knaresborough film cash snub
A petition has been launched calling on North Yorkshire Council to spend money raised from filming in Knaresborough on local projects.
It comes three weeks after actors Kiefer Sutherland, Rebel Wilson and Danny Dyer were spotted filming their new Hollywood Christmas movie in the town.
The Stray Ferret previously reported that a plea from Cllr Matt Walker at a council meeting on February 26 asking to spend the money in Knaresborough.
Conservative Cllr Simon Myers, who represents Mid Craven and is executive member for culture, arts and housing, said the total revenue from the film production had come to “about £10,000”.
But, he turned down the plea for the money to be spent in Knaresborough.
Now, Cllr Walker, the Liberal Democrat representative of Knaresborough West, has started a petition for the issue to be taken further.
He told the Stray Ferret that residents deserved the money to be spent in the town. He said:
The residents have been inconvenienced by the filming so the money should be compensated to them.
It’s windfall for the council anyway. They didn’t know they were going to get the money, so why should it be included into their budget?
Knaresborough are in desperate need of investment too. Yet again the toilets were closed this weekend. The car parks could be invested in – the one at Conyngham Hall is only half-used in the winter because it becomes too muddy. Investment into some rubber matting would make a massive difference.
The castle is also in real need of maintenance – in my opinion the money earned from the filming at the castle should go directly to it.
This would be a win-win for the council. By spending money on the town, they would start bringing money in through more tourism.
We want the town to be a good experience for tourists but at the weekend, with the toilets closed again, it wasn’t.
Cllr Walker added that he had made a request prior to filming for the money to be invested into the car park at Conyngham Hall, but it was rejected.
During the council meeting in February, Cllr Myers, said in response to Cllr Walker that he was against ‘ring-fencing’ funds in that way “on principle”.
Cllr Walker dismissed this, stating that he would “make sure the residents of Knaresborough get the services they deserve”.
He said:
Had it been Harrogate Borough Council, the money would have been spent there. I don’t understand why Knaresborough is constantly left out.
I understand that we have to fund services. But the council constantly tells me they want to increase tourism, then leaves Knaresborough out every time.
I just can’t understand why, when Knaresborough is one of the most Instagrammable places in Yorkshire. So many people that come here post pictures of the viaduct and the river.
If the petition reaches 500 signatures, Cllr Walker then has the right to ask for the petition to go to the next available area committee meeting.
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