Taxpayers have lost out on more than £1.5 million due to North Yorkshire Council’s inability to fill vacant units in Harrogate’s Royal Baths.

The council paid £9.5 million in 2018 to add the grade two listed Victorian building to its commercial property portfolio.

But it has been dogged by poor financial performance, largely because several units have stood empty for lengthy periods of time and failed to generate income.

A council report in 2023 downgraded the value of the baths to £7 million, amid claims that it was an "under-performing trophy asset".

The Stray Ferret submitted a freedom of information request to the council to find out how much lost revenue has been caused by the vacant units.

We asked for a breakdown of lost income, including rent, service charge and business rates, for the vacancy of the former Viper Rooms, Potting Shed and tourist information office. 

The Viper Rooms was repossessed by the council in December 2022 and has been vacant since. Last month the council said it had accepted an offer from a new tenant but the unit remains closed.

The Potting Shed site was closed for five years until it reopened as the Wicked Wolf in December.

The former tourist information centre relocated to the Royal Pump Room Museum last year after closing during covid.

The other two commercial properties in the Royal Baths — the Wetherspoon pub and the Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant — have remained open.

The council provided figures for rent, service charge and business rates for the three sites dogged by vacancy. They are: 

Viper Rooms

Rent £236,200

Service charge £149,928

Business rates £87, 906

TOTAL £474,034

Potting Shed

Rent £625,000

Service charge £207,835

Business rates £204,750

TOTAL £1,037,585

Tourist information centre

Rent – not applicable

Service charge £9,599

Business rates £11,726

TOTAL: £21,325

OVERALL TOTAL: £1,532,944