Is the future of Harrogate town centre more homes, less shopping?

As the government lines up plans to overhaul the UK planning system, could we see less shops and more homes and offices in Harrogate town centre as a result of the changes?

The town centre already has around 10% of its retail units sitting empty and an impending economic downturn could see that number increase.

But proposals lined up by the government could change how developers react to the loss of shops and what to do with them.

Ministers are to press ahead with measures which would see permitted development rights extended to empty outlets. It means that developers could demolish empty stores and replace them with housing without the need for a planning application.

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Further measures would see change of use rules relaxed, meaning unused shops could be turned into offices or homes.

James Tyreman, of Nicholls Tyerman estate agents, said the move would fit with an already popular town centre area to live in and converting a building would depend on its location.

He said: “It would depend on the right building and the right address.

“The town centre area is popular to live in and Harrogate has a lot of very attractive buildings. But it is very much a case of the right address and right location.”

Meanwhile, James Hobson, managing director at JEH Planning, said the reuse of vacant units will be crucial in helping the local economy after the pandemic.

He said: “Serious consideration will need to be given to the potential re-use of vacant retail premises and other commercial space for other uses, something that can be a controversial topic in Harrogate.

“However, if planners do not grasp and act on this issue, we could be preventing economic stimulus at a time that we have never needed it more.

“As part of this, we need to be completely realistic as to how much business and commercial space can be viably re-provided on site, and indeed how much affordable housing can be funded as part of mix use redevelopment proposals.”

He added that greater flexibility in the planning system would be key for those changes and to help high streets flourish.

The town centre has a Masterplan drawn up by the borough council, that was published four years ago. Critics argue that times have changed with increased online shopping and now the impact of coronavirus lockdown on the town centre.

 

The masterplan suggests the pedestrianisation of James Street which is the source of real concern to some traders

The Stray Ferret contacted Harrogate Borough Council leader, Richard Cooper, in advance of this article to request an interview on the vision for the town and traders concerns, but received no response.

Independent Harrogate have already made their voices heard and called for a rethink of the plan.

In its manifesto, the trade association said the town centre faces a crisis amid the pandemic and described the plan as “outdated”.

The publication of the manifesto was another example of the growing frustration among traders who feel the town’s future and its high-end shopping, which it is famous for, is at stake.

A spokesperson for the group said:

“We are terribly worried, there are various businesses that have already closed.

“The government have been supportive, but the local authority have got to be supportive too.”

At this critical juncture, there is a responsibility on policymakers to shape plans for the future. But there is also a responsibility on us to shop local if we want the stores we like to survive.

French firm gets approval for Harrogate Water takeover

The UK competition watchdog has given a French food firm the green light for its proposed takeover of Harrogate Water.

Danone said it planned to acquire a majority stake in Harrogate Water back in February but it was subject to approval.

The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) has now cleared the anticipated takeover for an undisclosed fee.

Harrogate Water’s current majority shareholders, the Cain family, will remain as minority shareholders under the deal.

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Last year Harrogate Water recorded sales of more than £21 million. It will now join Danone’s other water brand Evian and Volvic.

Harrogate Spring Water is the original British water brand, with a spa history dating back to 1571. It was first bottled in 1740.

James Pearson, Managing Director, Danone Waters UK & Ireland, said:

“I am thrilled to welcome Harrogate Water to the Danone family. This move will expand our offering in the UK and help to meet growing demand in sparkling water and on-the-go consumption.”

James Cain OBE, Harrogate Water CEO, said:

“We are delighted to have found the right partner to take Harrogate Water forward on its journey, while respecting and celebrating our history and heritage. Danone and Harrogate Water have a shared ethos and approach to community and sustainability.”

Can Harrogate compete with Leeds as shops reopen?

Yesterday, we reported on the anxieties of shoppers returning to clothes stores in the district. Given the fear expressed by many of stepping foot back onto the high street, is Harrogate doing enough to entice them back in?

As part of examining what the town is doing to win over shoppers, we looked at Harrogate’s closest retail rival and a city which attracts a lot of shoppers from the district.

16 miles down the road in Leeds, the city is putting in place a range of measures to bring customers back and encourage them to part with their hard earned cash again.

The city is offering free car parking for another month, as well as deep cleaning the streets and offering hand sanitiser on demand.

The city council has worked with the local BID to come up with measures to entice shoppers in and also offer reassurance, including one way systems and more outdoor space for street cafes in areas like the Corn Exchange and Park Row.

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Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said the measures were important to get the city back up and running again.

She said: “Getting our city centre and district centres back open again will be a key priority in the weeks ahead, however it needs to be done in a careful and controlled way in order to keep everyone safe.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in creating and implementing this plan, and I’d like to again thank the people of Leeds for their resilience and ask that it continues in terms of following the rules and adhering to the two-metre social distancing especially.

“Things may look a bit different in our public spaces, but if everyone follows the rules they will be safe places to work and visit as we start the process of recovery in Leeds.”

In light of the measures being put in place, can Harrogate compete and win over the anxious shopper?

Harrogate Borough Council was handed £141,000 from the European Union to help reopen and advertise the high streets, but a plan of how the money will be spent has yet to be revealed.

Meanwhile, the authority’s decision to reintroduce car parking fines left local trade associations frustrated and deeply disappointed.

Harrogate BID launched a deep clean of the town centre earlier this week.

Harrogate BID has also outlined its own plans to make the town centre attractive to shoppers again and started to put measures in place.

A deep clean is already underway and the group is in negotiations with a supplier to introduce high street daytime hosts and nighttime street marshalls in a couple of weeks.

The hosts will be tasked with giving shoppers peace of mind as lockdown is eased by welcoming them to the town centre, giving out information and noting hotspots that need to be cleaned.

Areas like James Street have already had pavements widened and retailers have also been offered social distancing posters to reassure shoppers that their experience will be safe.

Floor stickers will help to show customers where to stand two metres apart.

Sara Ferguson, acting chair of Harrogate BID, said the organisation was aware of the challenges that face retailers in the district but added that she was optimistic of shoppers coming back.

She said: “We are trying to make it as welcoming as possible.

“I feel like people are a bit sick of lockdown and there will be changes on the high street for sure, but people will have time to shop.

“I’m hoping that people will feel a bit more relaxed.”

Tomorrow in our final report, we look at the longer term plans for Harrogate.

Harrogate Monsoon store saved from closure

Harrogate’s Monsoon Accessorize store has been saved despite the company announcing a string of store closures after falling into administration.

Monsoon brought in administrators late on Tuesday before being bought out by Adena Brands Ltd through a pre-pack deal which was announced this morning.

Administrators FPR Advisory secured the deal with Adena, which is owned by Monsoon’s founder Peter Simon, which will see 450 jobs transferred over to the company.

But, 35 stores will still close across the UK and 545 staff will be made redundant.

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Harrogate’s Monsoon Accessorize store on James Street is not included on the list of closures released today.

The news comes as non essential retail, such as clothes stores, will reopen on Monday after lockdown is eased.

Mr Simon has promised to inject £15 million into Monsoon so it can continue trading and will work with administrators to negotiate leases on 162 stores and secure more than 2,300 retail jobs.

Tony Wright, joint administrator and partner at FRP, said: 

“We had to move quickly and decisively to secure the future of Monsoon and Accessorize, as many jobs as possible and the presence of these two iconic brands on the UK high street. After assessing a range of options this deal achieves those goals with least disruption to the business in an already challenging retail environment.

“We are now committed to working with Adena Brands as they enter talks with landlords to agree future terms across their store portfolio and look to transfer more jobs to the buyer. We’ll also be working with the Redundancy Payments Service to support all affected employees through this difficult time.”

Many in district still fearful of shopping for clothes

Will shoppers return to the high street on Monday?

Since the lockdown easing was revealed by the Prime Minister, a number of major and independent outlets have already announced that their doors will be open on June 15.

But once shops are open and the store lights are on, the focus will shift to how customers react after 10 weeks of closure and increasingly more people shopping online.

The Stray Ferret went around the district and asked people in town centres whether they were uneasy about returning to shops.

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In our video above, people raised concerns over changing rooms in clothes stores and shops reopening too early.

Melanie Lancaster, from Ripon, said it was not necessary for the city’s high street to reopen yet.

“I’m not going to shop when the shops open.

“I know that they are saying that they are going to quarantine clothes, but I would still not feel comfortable doing that.”

Sandra Watkins, from Harrogate, said she was concerned with younger people and whether they would be mindful when shops reopen.

She said: “I’m more concerned perhaps with my teenage daughter still being quite young, are they going to be mindful going back into places like Primark?”

Some smaller traders do not expect customers to be stepping through their doors immediately, but bigger retailers have a challenge.

Shop space which once saw customers move freely around will be altered by one way systems, two metre distances and limited customers.

Esther Pugh, a retail expert at Leeds Beckett University, said the experience of shopping will be changed by social distancing, but added that she remained optimistic about customers returning to the high street.

She said: “Stores use their layout to help navigate the space and move around.

“But it will be a challenge because the guidelines will effect the experience.

“I am optimistic and I think people need to feel positive. I think the shops need to be innovative and turn this into something new for shoppers.”

Tomorrow, we will report on what is being done to entice shoppers back onto Harrogate’s high street and into retail stores.

Harrogate retail prepares to fight for survival

As nearly 10% of Harrogate town centre’s retail spaces sit empty, traders prepare to fight to survive as lockdown is eased.

After 10 weeks of closure, retailers and independent boutiques now face the task of making up lost ground, earning a living and protecting their customers at the same time.

Non-essential shops, such as clothing outlets, can reopen from Monday. But the aim for some is to see if they can survive the challenge that comes with social distancing measures and the cost of the crisis.

As an economic downturn looms, Harrogate’s outlets face an uphill task in surviving. During lockdown, among those retailers to leave the town’s prestigious James Street is Jack Wills.

Among traders’ concerns ahead of Monday include:

Despite support from government and the local authority, it may not be enough as traders face the difficult decision of whether to open up or not on Monday.

Sophie Hartley, who owns Sophie Likes boutique on Beulah Street in Harrogate.

One of the shops reopening is lifestyle boutique Sophie Likes, which has been operating on Beulah Street for the past six years.

Sophie Hartley is the owner and sole employee in the store and has prepared for social distancing. But she said it will be difficult for local traders to make a living after lockdown.

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The closure of the shop left Sophie’s family without some of their income. She received a government grant but still hopes to have discussions with her landlord to help make it through until the end of the year.

She said: “It’s been pretty scary.

“All of a sudden you have the close the shop and you have no income.

“We are still not sure of our opening hours because we do not know how busy it is going to be.”

Another store owner, who did not wish to be named, said she had been “stung” financially by the lockdown and may have to close the store in future due to a lack of customers.

She said she had to seek advice after discussions about rent support with her landlord broke down and that Harrogate was a “ghost town” and the financial situation may lead her to reconsider the future of the store.

She said: “I cannot just keep going for face value.

“The high street is suffering and Harrogate is already a ghost town.”

Despite these difficult times, there is no place for small businesses to turn to for support when negotiations with landlords prove to be difficult.

Retail in Crisis

This week we report on Retail In Crisis as stores prepare to reopen after lockdown.

Over the coming days, we will look at the fear of shoppers returning to the High Street, how trade associations are working to entice customers into Harrogate and the long view of the future of retail in the town.

Tomorrow, we look at shoppers anxieties over returning to shopping in town.

Primark announces it will reopen Harrogate store

Primark’s Harrogate store is set to reopen on June 15 after more than 10 weeks of closure due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The company is among the first non-essential chain outlets to announce it will reopen a week on Monday as lockdown measures are eased.

Bosses at the company announced that it is working to reopen all 153 stores across England with extensive social distancing measures in place. Under government guidelines, non-essential retail stores, such as clothes shops and electronic outlets, will be able to reopen from June 15.

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Social distancing measures will include limited customers in store, hand sanitiser for shoppers and Perspex screens at tills to protect staff. Every second till in stores will be closed and face masks and gloves will be made available to Primark employees.

Paul Marchant, chief executive at Primark, said the company wanted to ensure that stores were safe for both staff and customers:

“We know that life for our customers is going to look different for a while. We want our stores to be safe and reassuring places to shop and work. While it might take a little longer to get into our stores, once inside, customers will find all their favourite Primark products and we have worked hard to make sure that clear signage and extra help will be there to guide them through the changes we have made to allow for social distancing. 

“We will adopt all government safety advice as a minimum in our stores and have benefited from our experience in the other markets in Europe where we have already opened successfully. As we open, we will continue to look at best practice across the retail sector and amend our measures appropriately. 

“I would like to thank all of our colleagues and partners for the commitment, strength and resilience they have shown through these challenging times.” 

Don’t leave disabled customers behind, Harrogate businesses urged

Harrogate businesses have been urged not to leave disabled shoppers behind as they gear up to reopen in the coming weeks.

Disability Action Yorkshire has called on companies to put in place measures to help disabled people shop safely and published guidance to follow.

It comes as car showrooms will be able to reopen on Monday and other non-essential stores, including clothes shops and electronics outlets, will open on June 15.

Among the measures suggested by the charity include widening aisles, clear signage at a height for wheelchair users and discretion on the limited people in a shop rule for those who need a companion to support them.

The charity has also suggested putting chairs out for queues at stores where there is likely to be a long wait.

Jackie Snape, chief executive at Disability Action Yorkshire.

Jackie Snape, chief executive at Disability Action Yorkshire, called on businesses to bear disabled customers in mind when they put plans in place.

She said:

“As we gently ease through lockdown many businesses, shops and hospitality venues are thinking about making the necessary adjustments to make their premises, routes and spaces as safe for as many people as possible.

“We are asking that, when making those vital plans, you consider disabled customers. ‘Shop local’ is a message we hear a lot and we want to ensure that when disabled people cone into town they can do so in comfort and safety.

“Whilst it’s not an exhaustive list, we hope businesses find these suggestions both useful and beneficial.

“We would also ask disabled people to get in touch with us if they have other suggestions, as we know there’s going to be a lot of things worrying people that we haven’t considered.”

Council’s decision to give tenants rent-free period cost £200,000

Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to give its commercial tenants three months rent free is set to land local taxpayers with a £200,000 bill.

A report to council leader, Richard Cooper, and Cllr Graham Swift, executive member for economy, at the authority’s urgent cabinet meeting in March detailed the cost of the decision before it was approved by senior councillors.

Since then, the authority has seen its debt from the coronavirus outbreak spiral from an estimated £10 million to £15 million and is now considering furloughing staff to address the shortfall.

While most local authorities decided to defer rents for local companies, the borough council opted to wave them completely for its tenants.

Unlike other businesses, council tenants have had a double dose of public money with many applying for emergency government grants on top of a rent free period. It leaves the authority facing questions over whether the decision was a good use of taxpayer money or not when the cost of the pandemic is revealed.

One council tenant, who did not wish to be named, said that they knew of at least one fellow council tenant which was still operating and that most of the smaller businesses will have applied for the government’s £10,000 grant.

They said they were given no advanced notice of the decision until they received an e-mail to inform them of the rent free period.

They said: “I was shocked and could not believe it, nobody asked for it.

“Obviously I am pleased, but I wonder if it might have been better if they found out those businesses who cannot get the grant and supported them.”

At the time of the decision, a joint statement from Cllr Cooper and chief executive Wallace Sampson said the authority wanted to encourage others to offer support.

It said: “Our commercial tenants will be offered three months’ rent free and we’ll be doing all that we can to encourage other landlords in the district to consider what support they can offer their tenants.”

Earlier this month, some landlords described the decision as “unnecessary” at a time when the council is considering furloughing some of its staff in the future to help make ends meet.

Meanwhile, Pat Marsh, leader of the Liberal Democrats group on the council, said she felt the decision was rushed.

“I think in hindsight it was maybe a decision which should have been tempered,” she said.

“For me, I think it was a bit of a rushed decision that I wish I had given more thought.”

Harrogate Borough Council has been asked whether it intends to extend the rent free period, but had not responded at the time of publication.

Knaresborough businesses prepare measures to reopen shops

Businesses in Knaresborough are preparing social distancing measures as some shops in the town gear up to reopen next month.

A range of measures designed to help shops in Knaresborough reopen safely are set be introduced following a Knaresborough Chamber of Trade initiative.

It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that non-essential shops, including clothes stores and electronic outlets, will be able to reopen from June 15.

The chamber has led a campaign called Knaresborough Unlocked which aims to keep the town open for business.

As part of the initiative, Knaresborough is set to introduce measures such as limited customers in shops at one time, bookings for those offering personal care, and some temporary road closures proposed by the chamber. Business owners are also encouraged to practise good hygiene in their stores.

Road closures

The chamber is in discussions with North Yorkshire County Council to close roads including Market Place, Castlegate and parts of Jockey Lane in order to help create space for people to queue outside businesses.

Bill Taylor, treasurer at Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, said the measures are designed to keep people safe:

“These are temporary measures until social distancing becomes a thing of the past. We are just trying to keep everyone safe.”

Kelly Teggin Hair and Beauty in Knaresborough, which is preparing measures to keep customers safe when it reopens.

Among the businesses that has put preparations in place is Kelly Teggin’s Hair and Beauty salon on Castlegate.

While the government has said salons will not reopen until July at the earliest, owner Kelly Teggin has started to prepare to reopen safely.

She has put in place social distancing measures in the salon, including personal protective equipment, a one-way system and staggering working hours to fit appointments in.

Customers will be told to turn up at their exact booking time in order for people to keep their distance and people will not be able to wait in the waiting area.

Kelly said the lockdown has given her time to prepare the business should it reopen next month.

“I would not have felt prepared if it was a June reopening. But now that it is coming up to July, I do think that by then we will be ready.”