Survey highlights Knaresborough’s tourism potential

A survey has discovered Knaresborough is one of the most popular local towns and cities to visit.

The study by research company 56 Degree Insight asked a representative sample of 500 people from a regional pool to rate 10 nearby places to visit.

Knaresborough ranked third with 87% describing it as either OK, good or excellent, behind only York (93%) and Harrogate (91%) — which are both larger and better known.

Knaresborough scored ahead of Skipton (82%) and Ripon (81%), with Otley in West Yorkshire and Thirsk in joint sixth on 76%. Helmsley, Northallerton and Malton filled the last three slots.

The survey also revealed 93% of visitors were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ likely to visit Knaresborough again — higher than anywhere else.

56 Degree Insight also discovered Knaresborough residents’ pride in their town.

They asked 300 Knaresborians to rate where they live and 96% said it was either excellent, good or OK. Only Harrogate residents rated their location higher, at 97%. York was third at 89% and Ripon was seventh at 65%.

The results were revealed at this week’s annual general meeting of business group Knaresborough & District Chamber.

Executive member Peter Lacey said the results indicated that Knaresborough’s already popular visitor economy could be a growth sector.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Lacey said he was still digesting all the results, but the take away message was that there are opportunities for the town to attract visitors and encourage them to stay longer whilst ensuring that the requirements of residents are also addressed.

He said suggestions on how to improve the town, which the survey also covered, attracted positive responses to ideas such as town centre improvements, more benches to sit on and wet weather covers, adding:

“We were also encouraged that whilst sensitivity to design and local impact ideas such as park and ride, a land train and the cliff lift were all considered appealing to both visitors and residents.”

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£20,000 feasibility study to begin on Knaresborough cliff lift

A £20,000 study is to investigate the feasibility of a cliff lift in Knaresborough.

The idea of a lift connecting the steep divide between Waterside and the town centre has long been debated.

Now the government’s shared prosperity fund has awarded a £20,000 grant to conduct a feasibility study into the idea, a meeting of business group Knaresborough Chamber heard this week.

Peter Lacey, an executive member of the chamber, said in January the organisation and Knaresborough Town Council had agreed to work together to build a business case for better connectivity in the town.

Mr Lacey told this week’s meeting that £20,000 had now been awarded and the firms Carey Tourism and 56 Degree Insight would lead the market research.

The community group Renaissance Knaresborough promoted the cliff lift idea pre-covid and Ben Carey, of Carey Tourism, worked on an interim report on behalf of the now-defunct Harrogate Borough Council.

Mr Carey told the meeting he suspected the lift would be a long-term project costing about £5 million and connectivity would be key to its success. He said:

“We can produce the most wonderful, iconic structure but nobody is going to fund it unless you can show it will be transformative to Knaresborough.

“It’s all about connectivity — how you can make sure people spend more time and money in local businesses.”

Mr Carey also said it was essential that North Yorkshire Council extended the lease of Knaresborough Castle otherwise nobody would invest in the scheme.

The castle land, which is leased from the Duchy of Lancaster, is likely to host the lift.

Cllr Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West on North Yorkshire Council, told the meeting the lease had nine years left and he was pushing for it to be extended.

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