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18
Aug
‘These empty units do nothing to support Harrogate’s economy’
North Yorkshire Council’s ongoing failure to find tenants for prime units in Harrogate’s historic Royal Baths came under question today.
The council bought the grade two listed building for £9 million in 2018 to generate income as part of its commercial property portfolio.
But the Baths has been dogged by dire investment returns, and its value has plummeted to £6.3 million, leading to claims that it is an "under-performing trophy asset".
Three of the five units have been vacant for years.
The former Viper Rooms unit has been empty since December 2022; the ex-tourist information office never reopened after covid and has been on the market since then; and the site occupied briefly by the Wicked Wolf has been vacant for most of the last decade.
Only the Wetherspoon pub and the Chinese restaurant are being let in the complex, which opened in 1897.
'Considerable concern'
Concerns were raised during the Conservative-run council’s fortnightly cabinet meeting today (August 18).
Councillors debated a forecast £10.3 million overspend for the first quarter of the current financial year, from April 1 to June 30, 2026.
The overspend is largely attributed to rising costs of children’s services, as reported here, but Cllr Andrew Williams, a member of the Conservative and Independents group who represents Ripon Minster and Moorside, suggested the local authority should consider reviewing its pricing policy and marketing strategy on commercial units “as it’s surely better to have the spaces occupied and bringing in some income than none at all”.
Cllr Williams added:
There is obviously quite considerable concern about the situation on the premises in the Royal Baths in Harrogate where there is quite an amount of space that is empty and has been for some time.
It’s a significant building in the central landscape of Harrogate and it should be driving economic activity in that area and the building as far as I’m aware is half empty.
Tenants incoming?
Cllr Peter Wilkinson, who oversees finance at the council, said It had been “more challenging to find tenants to move in” post-covid.
He added: “It’s not just the actual rent businesses are facing but the pressures on hospitality. It’s the cost of staff and the cost of rates.”
Referring specifically to the Royal Baths, Cllr Wilkinson said it was proving to be particularly difficult “due to the complexity of the actual units contained with it and the fixed costs associated with the larger spaces”.
But he suggested tenants were being lined up:
“We have currently got two units that are long-term let and terms of agreement on a further two units, subject to the normal legal process, and one remaining space is being marketed.”
To Let signs remained on all three units today.
Asked after the meeting why he had raised the subject of the Royal Baths, Cllr Williams said:
“I raised it because we need to see economic activity in Harrogate and these units remaining empty does nothing to support the local economy in Harrogate or support the revenue budget of North Yorkshire Council.
“North Yorkshire Council needs to maximise income and empty property is one area where additional revenue could be generated.”
The council's quarterly performance report, available here, also says the Turkish Baths in Harrogate "underperformed" and that Starbeck Baths generated £45,000 less than expected.
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