23
Dec
Reader’s Letter: Harrogate deserves better than this ‘diabolic’ Christmas fayre
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The Harrogate Christmas Fayre took place from December 5 to 14. Here reader Barry Adams gives his view on the subject. Do you agree with him? Email your thoughts to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.
Thank goodness the diabolic Harrogate Christmas Fayre has gone and the transparency of the area round the war memorial has been returned allowing us, the people of Harrogate to celebrate the unique civic ambience of the area through the cohesive quality of the buildings, the colourful seasonal displays in illuminated shop windows and the simple but effective lighting to the existing group of trees.
That is Harrogate — not a ‘shanty town’ collection of temporary structures that litter and spoil its traditional appearance compounded by the revolting odours that pervade from them.
I do not know or understand which idiotic person or organisation considers this is appropriate. They obviously do not understand Harrogate. The whole debacle is a resulting mess that turns it's back on the town centre showing no respect for what the war memorial represents.
Unfortunately, what Harrogate is now left with is the appalling and disgusting state of the grassed areas round the war memorial. It is an absolute mess not only for the remainder of the festive season, but over winter and into spring until the warmer growing season starts thanks to the irresponsible and incompetent person(s) who gave permission for its go ahead.
I hope those responsible do not try and repair the battlefield appearance of the grassed areas as usual by levelling it with sand and scattering it with seed.
It has been scarred in previous years by the Ferris wheel or the like and has never been given chance to fully recover. It needs cultivating and turfing and we as council taxpayers should not be made to pay for it.
We must campaign to prevent such an inappropriate debacle cluttering this area with such trash in future years. After all, we must celebrate Harrogate as ‘Being Best, Being Different’.
As a number of us have repeated year after year all this area needs is a very large Christmas tree dressed with a well-considered lighting scheme. What says Christmas more than this? Sadly, we have been ignored by those who think they know best.
On a more permanent basis serious consideration should be given to a professionally designed flood lighting scheme to the war memorial.
Barry Adams, Harrogate
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