The Chocolate Works closes in Harrogate after just six months

The Chocolate Works has closed its Harrogate site, just six months after opening.

The café on Station Parade served chocolates, sweet treats, coffees and Belgian hot chocolate.

It was the third venture of its kind run by owner Guy Middleton, who also operates sites in Skipton and Clitheroe. But Mr Middleton said the Harrogate shop, which opened in April, “floundered from the beginning”.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“There is no one more gutted that I am.

“I was so excited to open in Harrogate following the success of Skipton, which opened mid-pandemic in 2020, but it just didn’t work out.”

He said the closure was predominantly due to a lack of footfall, adding:

“Perhaps a different location would’ve changed things – but no one knows these things.

“All our neighbouring businesses were so supportive, and we had such a great team.”

The Harrogate unit, which ceased trading on September 27, was previously intended to house the vegan restaurant Vertigo but the company went out of business a year ago before the Station Parade site opened.

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Picket line in Harrogate as trains and hospital hit by strikes

A picket line was in operation outside Harrogate railway station today as the district was hit by another day of strikes to key services.

Members of train drivers’ union Aslef picketed on Station Parade from 8am to noon in what was their 14th wave of industrial action since June last year.

No trains operated on the Harrogate and Knaresborough line and rail operator Northern has warned of further disruption tomorrow and Friday. Passengers are advised to check before they travel as there may be some short notice cancellations.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said there had been no further talks with the government or rail firms since the union rejected a “risible” pay offer in April.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said:

 “We hope to see a resolution to this issue in the near future and an end to the disruption these strikes cause.”

A three-day strike by junior doctors and consultants at Harrogate District Hospital is due to end at 7am tomorrow.

The British Medical Association said the strike over pay had resulted in ‘Christmas Day’ cover, meaning emergency care had been staffed but only minimal cover had been provided elsewhere.

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Council concedes it should have held public inquiry into Harrogate Station Gateway

North Yorkshire Council has conceded it should have held a public inquiry into the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway.

The council halted the scheme last week immediately after lawyers acting on behalf of local property firm Hornbeam Park Developments launched a judicial review.

Lawyers claimed there were six grounds for challenging the council’s decision.

Among them was the council’s failure to hold a public inquiry before issuing traffic regulation orders for measures such as partly pedestrianising James Street and reducing traffic on a 300-metre stretch of Station Parade to single lane.

A decision notice published on the council website this week confirmed it had “quashed” its May decision to proceed with the gateway. It said:

“The possibility of fully defending the legal challenge was considered and to have this mattered determined by the courts.

“However, due to the necessity of having a public inquiry before confirming the relevant traffic regulation order, it was considered prudent to accept this ground of challenge.”

It added the decision would “avoid any further exposure to costs and time delays”.

‘Dead scheme’

A report setting out what happens next is due to go to the conservative-controlled council’s ruling executive on September 19. However, Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has called the gateway a “dead scheme”.

The legal challenge by planning lawyers Walton & Co also claims the council did not disclose a climate change appraisal that said said drivers would be forced to take longer alternative routes as a result of the road changes and overall “user emissions are anticipated to increase as a result of the scheme”.

A spokesperson for Walton & Co said:

“The claimant’s case put forward multiple grounds for challenge. One such ground included the fact that the climate change appraisal had not been made available.

“The claimant maintains that this still amounts to an error in law, and has reserved the right to take issue both with the alleged defective consultation and also other grounds set out in the claim, should a further decision be taken in the absence of such alleged error(s) being rectified.”

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Station Gateway: Andrew Jones calls for funding to be switched to ‘other projects’

Andrew Jones has called for government funding for the Harrogate Station Gateway to be reallocated to other projects.

The Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough said North Yorkshire Council should not waste time trying to keep the project alive, after it today announced it was “rescinding” its decision to proceed.

That announcement came following a legal challenge from Hornbeam Park Developments, which had applied for a judicial review of the way the Station Gateway project had been managed.

Mr Jones said:

“The key consideration is that the latest challenge means that the deadline to spend the cash allocated to this area is certain to expire.  It is time therefore to stop spending public money trying to drag what is effectively a timed-out dead scheme – the good parts regrettably and the bad too – over the line.

“The council must start talking to government about retaining the funding and re-positioning it to other projects in Harrogate and Knaresborough.  I am happy to help with that process.”

The project has been controversial, with business organisations raising concerns about its impact on footfall and therefore the viability of town centre shops.

The £11.2m scheme was to be funded by the Transforming Cities Fund, and would have seen Station Parade narrowed to one lane around the bus and railway stations.

A bus lane and cycle routes would have been introduced, as part of plans to encourage more active travel.

It would also have included the pedestrianisation of the eastern half of James Street, and changes to Lower Station Parade, with a bus lane added on its eastern side.

‘Flip-flopping’

At a meeting of Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee in May, business owners raised concerns about the impact of the loss of 40 parking spaces and potential queues of traffic through the town centre.

After three hours, the committee voted by eight to three in favour of supporting the scheme.

All five Conservative councillors and most Liberal Democrats voted for it,

Liberal Democrat leader and committee chairman Cllr Pat Marsh said councillors had been given a free vote on the issue.

The public gallery at the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee meeting in May

However, Cllr Marsh then went to the meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s executive to plead with its members not to proceed with the scheme.

The next month, the Lib Dems withdrew all its councillors’ support, citing the lack of meaningful engagement with businesses and local residents over their concerns.

In today’s statement on the issue, Mr Jones took aim at the Lib Dems for “flip-flopping” on the project:

“Of course, consistent political leadership is critical when managing major investment and the majority group on the Harrogate and Knaresborough area committee has been unable to provide that.

“Whether or not one supports the gateway project in total, in part or not at all such weak local leadership presents difficulty when we look to attracting future investment.”

Looking to the future, Mr Jones said there were elements of the Station Gateway project that could be carried forward into a new scheme.

He also said he had asked North Yorkshire Council to address concerns over other parts of the plan.

He added:

“There are parts of the scheme I think that are welcome – the emphasis on sustainable transport, tidying up the area as you come out of the bus and train stations, the improvement of the public realm, changing the crossing arrangements on Lower Station Parade, improving the shabby one arch and so on.

“There are elements of concern too such as the narrowing of Station Parade for a short stretch outside the bus station and how deliveries to businesses will work and I have consistently asked the council to address these concerns.  It is clear that significant numbers have not been reassured by the explanations that have been given.”

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Secret Bakery set to open new shop in Harrogate station

An established bakery is set to open a third outlet in the entrance to Harrogate railway station.

The Secret Bakery, which has been based on Knaresborough Road since before the covid pandemic, is hoping to open the doors of its new shop next Friday, August 25.

Owners Jane and James Spencer said they hope it will prove popular with office staff, commuters and visitors to town – and they are looking forward to the Station Gateway project.

James told the Stray Ferret:

“Because of the changes the council is planning, we’re hoping to take the front of the shop out and put concertina doors in.

“Then we could have it open and some pavement cafe seating.”

The couple took over The Secret Bakery in October 2020, after it was originally founded in a domestic kitchen in the Saints area of Harrogate.

Despite the ongoing covid restrictions, James said it was a busy time, as many customers liked to buy from a small business and avoid the supermarkets.

The new outlet on Station Parade will offer the same range of sandwiches, cakes and drinks for which the Secret Bakery is known.

A second baker has already been recruited to increase capacity behind the scenes, and staff from elsewhere in the business will be moving to work in the central Harrogate shop.

The secret bakery on Knaresborough Road

The bakery on Knaresborough Road will remain open, as will a second unit in Knaresborough‘s Market Place, which opened last October.

James said the Knaresborough shop had a strong start last autumn but has been quieter this year, perhaps down to lower than expected levels of tourism across the town.

However, he is hopeful that being in the centre of Harrogate, close to other businesses and transport links, will prove successful.

The unit was previously occupied by a cafe, but closed around eight months ago. James said the owner of the neighbouring shoe repair and key cutting shop had already been in touch to welcome the new business.

Its opening hours will be long than the other two Secret Bakery shops, with James and Jane hoping to catch commuters from 7am until 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

James added:

“I saw this place originally and didn’t think much of it, but then the cogs started turning. It means we’re in town rather than the outskirts.

“It’s in the process of being refurbished. We weren’t planning on doing much, but then we thought, ‘let’s do it properly before we open’.

“They’re due to finish soon, then we need to get the fridges and things in, and we’re hoping to be open next Friday.”

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Judicial review launched against £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway

A judicial review has today been launched against the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway scheme.

Planning lawyers have been instructed by Hornbeam Park Developments to challenge North Yorkshire Council‘s decision-making on several grounds.

They include the council’s alleged failure to disclose documents relating to climate change, and a failure to properly consult upon the scheme as a result.

The judicial review threatens to de-rail the controversial scheme, which would see James Street partly pedestrianised and a 300-metre section of Station Parade reduced to single lane traffic to make way for new cycling routes.

A spokesperson for Hornbeam Park Developments said:

“Residents deserve to be fully informed on a major scheme with significant environmental and economic impact on our town.

“This judicial review challenges the decision-making process and lack of crucial information provided to the public as part of previous consultations.

“The impact of this disastrous scheme will be felt across the district, but specifically on the businesses on James Street, and residents nearby. These groups should be confident the correct processes and information was provided to help inform the public. Our investigations show this is not the case, so we are challenging this”.

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Councillors approved plans to proceed with the gateway in May.

Most Liberal Democrat and all Conservative councillors on North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee supported the scheme although the Liberal Democrats later withdrew support.

Latest Station Gateway visuals which show Harrogate's James Street pedestrianised.

How James Street would look.

A statement sent today on behalf of Hornbeam Park Developments said the scheme “has proved unpopular with the majority of residents and local businesses due to potential impact on the local economy and on town centre congestion due to increased waiting times throughout the day”.

It adds:

“Redirected traffic from the town centre gyratory could also make residential streets nearby less pedestrian friendly, fuelling concerns across the town centre.”

Key climate data not released  

Today’s legal challenge claims a council-commissioned climate change appraisal, which concludes the scheme is predicted to result in an increase in 1,356 tonnes of CO2e over its lifetime, was not made available during public consultation or taken into account by the council when it decided to go ahead.

Instead, consultation materials indicated the initiative would be beneficial in terms of climate change.

The judicial review also claims a plan showing proposals for traffic regulation orders on highways such as James Street was incorrect and should have triggered a public inquiry.

The spokesperson continued:

“The decision to omit the damning independent analysis into the predicted carbon emissions of this scheme will contribute during public consultation is shocking.

“In this climate emergency, information around environmentally damaging schemes should be front-and-centre to help people appraise the scheme.

“Instead, we have a document which states that the reduction of Station Parade to one lane and the part-time pedestrianisation of James Street will reduce general traffic capacity and force drivers onto longer alternative routes – predicted to result in an increase in 1,356 tonnes of CO2e over the project’s lifetime.

“Everyone in the town wants to see improvements to the area, but it needs to have a democratic mandate that we can all get behind, and be fully thought through.”

North Yorkshire Council has been approached for comment.

Police appeal after sexual assault in Harrogate

Police have appealed for witnesses after a sexual assault in Harrogate.

Officers said the incident happened at a pizza takeaway on lower Station Parade in Harrogate at 2.30am on Saturday, July 29.

A women was approached by a man who offered money for sex, tried to kiss her and then sexually assaulted her.

Police arrested a man in his 40s in relation to the allegation of sexual assault and he has been released on bail pending further enquiries.

In a statement, North Yorkshire Police said:

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“Officers would particularly like to speak with two men who were not involved but were in the pizza shop at the time the assault took place.

“Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should email Michael.crawshaw@northyorkshire.police.uk

“You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Michael Crawshaw.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

“Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230141013.”

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Harrogate business survey reveals opposition to Station Gateway

Three times more businesses oppose the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway than support it, according to a survey.

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce revealed the results of a members’ questionnaire at its monthly meeting last night.

Asked whether they were in favour of the scheme, seven respondents said ‘yes’ while 21 said ‘no’.

Members were also asked if they felt the scheme, which would see James Street partly pedestrianised and a section of Station Parade reduced to single lane to make way for a cycle route, would make business in the town better or worse.

Eighteen said it would make it worse, four said better and six either felt it would be the same or expressed no opinion.

Nineteen opposed the pedestrianisation of James Street, while nine supported it.

Asked whether the scheme would “encourage you or your team to participate in more active travel”, five replied ‘yes’ while 23 said ‘no’.

Martin Mann, acting chief executive of the chamber, said:

“No-one’s in any doubt the town centre needs some work, but the answer is not this design.”

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Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat leader in Harrogate and Knaresborough, told the chamber meeting North Yorkshire councillors should visit the affected area before deciding whether to proceed with the gateway on May 30.

Cllr Marsh, who was one of three councillors to oppose the scheme when it was voted through by North Yorkshire Council’s area constituency committee this month, said:

“If this was a planning decision we would be having a site visit and we would walk the route before making a decision. The same should happen.”

“I’m so against this scheme, I can’t tell you.”

8 takeaways from the Harrogate Station Gateway meeting

Councillors voted by 10 to 3 in favour of proceeding with the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway last week.

The heated three-hour meeting saw members of the public and North Yorkshire councillors speak for and against the scheme.

It would see the biggest change to the town centre for decades, including traffic on a 300-metre stretch of Station Parade being reduced to single lane so cycle lanes can be built and part of James Street pedestrianised.

But the meeting revealed far more than that. Here are eight key takeaways.

1 The project looks certain to go-ahead

North Yorkshire Council is expected to ratify the decision to proceed with the gateway when its ruling executive meets on May 30.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, which met last week, is only an advisory body to the executive but the council’s Conservative transport chief Cllr Keane Duncan pledged in advance of the meeting to abide by its decision. The 10-3 vote in favour appears to have sealed its fate.

Cllr Duncan told the meeting the council was “up against it” if it didn’t want to lose the £10.9 million pledged by the Department for Transport towards the £11.2 million scheme. He said:

“We will have to make a decision as an executive on May 30 if we want to ensure we deliver this scheme in line with DfT requirements.”

He added the “majority of spend” must take place in 2023/24 budgets, so expect roadworks this winter.

Station Square is many visitors’ first impression of Harrogate.

2 Supporters say it will halt town centre decline

Although the gateway is mainly regarded as a transport scheme, supporters are keen to portray its potential for regenerating Lower Station Parade and the area around the bus and train stations.

Matthew Roberts, economic development officer at the council, displayed a slide at the committee meeting showing the number of shops in Harrogate declined from 539 in September 2013 to 474 in September 2021. The meeting also heard evidence that pedestrianisation often led to an increase in spending.

Mr Roberts concluded his presentation by saying:

“Change is often daunting but in Harrogate’s case, much needed.”

3 Otley Road cycle route has undermined confidence

The spectre of the Otley Road cycle route loomed over the meeting.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Monika Slater, who represents Bilton Grange and New Park, told officers the much-criticised cycle route had “taken away the public confidence” in the council’s ability to deliver infrastructure schemes.

The prospect of a part-pedestrianised James Street also raised concerns that Harrogate’s premier retail street could become a soulless shopping experience, as some feel Cambridge Street has become, rather than the pleasant oasis portrayed in council designs.

Cambridge Street in the sun

Cambridge Street – bland?

4 Divided Lib Dems enabled the go-ahead

The Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, which advises North Yorkshire Council, consists of eight Lib Dems and five Conservatives — so the Lib Dems could have halted the scheme.

But there was no party whip and a wide range of views emerged. Committee chair and Harrogate and Knaresborough Lib Dem leader Pat Marsh, who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone, was scathing:

“I’m totally against this scheme – it’s the wrong scheme. We need to get around the table and look at a more connected plan.”

Fellow Lib Dem Matt Walker, who represents Knaresborough West, and Michael Schofield, who represents Harlow and St Georges, described it as a “vanity project”. But the other five Lib Dems voted in favour, as did all five Conservatives, after receiving vague assurances the committee would be involved in the scheme going forward.

5 There are fears of Harrogate turning into Peterborough or Milton Keynes

Former Harrogate borough mayor Caroline Bayliss was one of many anti-gateway speakers at the start of the meeting. She said the project was “bland enough to suit Peterborough, Milton Keynes or Croydon”, adding:

“It takes away more of our distinct character to be replaced by concrete.”

Former architect Barry Adams, who handed out details of an alternative approach, described it as a “blinkered and contrived highways-led solution”.

By contrast, gateway supporters say it will breathe new life into a run-down part of town that provides the first impression for visitors by bus and train.

Station Parade

There are fears land near the train and bus stations will be developed.

6 Tower block fears

There are fears that the gateway could pave the way for other developments in the vicinity.

Martin Mann, acting chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, even said:

“There are also concerns about the development of the land next to the station, potentially into a tower block, which may overshadow Station Parade and this redevelopment to the public realm.”

Businesses recovering from covid are also more concerned about the disruption caused by months, or years, of roadworks rather than long-term vision of improvement presented by gateway supporters.

Victoria car park

Harrogate has 7,000 parking spaces

7 Just 0.6% of parking spaces will be lost

The loss of parking spaces on James Street is one of the gateway’s most controversial aspects.

Richard Binks, head of major projects and development at the council, said 40 parking spaces would be lost in total because of the scheme

He said Harrogate had more than 7,000 parking spaces, if Asda and Waitrose are included, and therefore only 0.6% of spaces would be lost.

8 Cheltenham Parade bus lane scrapped

Mr Binks revealed plans to introduce a bus lane on Cheltenham Parade had been removed from the scheme.

But he added a bus lane on Lower Station Parade remained part of the plans. He said 44 buses an hour used that stretch of road and “each bus would gain 17 to 20 seconds” because of the lane.

Mr Binks added the project had been amended to allay business fears about unloading on Lower Station Parade after the owner of Party Fever raised concerns the business and customers would no longer be able to park outside. He said:

“We are proposing to truncate the length of the lead in the taper to the bus lane over the length of Bower House and make that double yellow line like it is now. That would avail you the opportunity to load as you do now, It would avail customers 30-minute pick up and drop off time.”

“You have a very valid point, we will take it on board and adjust the project to suit.”

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Council in discussions with Harrogate Station Gateway contractor

North Yorkshire Council has been in early discussions with a contractor over the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway scheme.

Richard Binks, head of major projects at the authority, revealed the council had held initial talks, known as “early contractor involvement”, with national highways firm Galliford Try.

Mr Binks said the company, which employs 3,700 staff, had been consulted on potential construction costs ahead of work starting on the scheme.

The project was backed by the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, which advises North Yorkshire Council, by 10 votes to three at a meeting on Friday.

It paves the way for the council’s ruling Conservative executive to give the project the go-ahead on May 30.

Mr Binks told the area constituency committee:

“We are working with a tier one contractor called Galliford Try.

“We are getting monthly market valuations on potential construction cost coming forward before the final tendered price.”

The Stray Ferret has approached North Yorkshire Council to ask about the nature of the discussions with the company and whether Galliford Try is the preferred contractor for the scheme.

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The move comes as the company has also been appointed to similar projects, funded by the government’s Transforming Cities Fund, in Stoke-on-Trent and Sheffield.

Galliford Try also took over the construction of the Lincoln Eastern Bypass scheme in 2018 from Carillion, which collapsed.

The appointment led to the project running over Lincolnshire County Council’s budget by £24 million.

‘Piecemeal vanity project’

The scheme will see Station Parade reduced to one lane of traffic so a bus lane and cycle route can be built and James Street partly pedestrianised.

Cllr Pat Marsh, who was one of the three councillors to oppose the project last week, described it as a “piecemeal vanity project”.

Cllr Marsh — who is leader of the Harrogate and Knaresborough Lib Dems — said the scheme had been characterised by poor consultation and lack of any business impact assessment.

But Mr Binks and fellow council officers said it would rejuvenate the area around Harrogate’s train and bus stations and boost the local economy.

Senior North Yorkshire councillors are expected to ratify the gateway plan on May 30.