Cabbies have reacted angrily to plans to shorten the length of the main taxi rank in Harrogate as part of the £11.2m Station Gateway scheme.
The rank on Station Parade, opposite the train and bus stations, currently accommodates about a dozen hackney carriages.
Councillors want to reduce this by two vehicles and introduce a new bay over the road under plans to introduce single-lane traffic on Station Parade and create new cycle paths.
North Yorkshire County Council, which is leading on the gateway scheme, included the taxi rank proposals in new design plans that went out to consultation yesterday.
Tania Weston, the council’s programme manager for the gateway scheme, told a media briefing about the new designs last week that cabbies were satisfied with the new arrangements, which also include creating extra bays outside Mainline Taxis further along Station Parade.
Paul McMahon, who owns PM Taxis, said cabbies were told in talks with the council that the Station Parade rank would stay in its entirety.
He said:
“They have completely backtracked on what we were told.
“How can you possibly service a busy railway station, especially when conferences are in town, when you shorten the taxi rank?”
Kevin O’Boyle, who owns Central Taxis, said several town centre bays would be lost if the part-pedestrianisation of James Street also went ahead. He said:
“This would be an unfair, derogatory step.
“Problems were pointed out at council liaison meetings a good six months back but it appears to have changed nothing.”
Mr O’Boyle said shortening the main rank and creating a new bay over the road, which he understands will be for wheelchair-accessible taxis, would cause tensions among cabbies.
He said drivers sometimes already had to loop round Harrogate because spaces weren’t available on the rank and the situation would get worse.
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He added it would also cause a scramble for customers on two fronts and cause ill feeling amongst cabbies waiting on the current rank who saw a wheelchair-accessible vehicle nip into the new bay over the road and pick up a non-wheelchair user.
Mr O’Boyle added:
“They need to get it into their heads that taxis are part of the infrastructure of the town.”
“Creating another rank will only cause divisions within the taxi trade.”
Ms Weston said in a statement:
“During the second consultation we received feedback from taxi drivers and companies about the proposed changes.
“As a result, we are retaining the current taxi rank on Station Parade but this will be slightly shorter.
“There will be a relocated taxi space on the opposite side of the road.
“We have also included a raised table on the northern part of Station Parade (between Bower Road and Cheltenham Parade) to make easier for people to cross the road to access the taxi company.
“Previously taxi drivers requested additional taxi rank spaces on the west side of the town centre and we will offset any loss through the Transforming Cities Fund project by providing new spaces in this area.
“Additionally, should a decision be taken to progress the scheme, the contractor will be contacting taxi companies to understand their requirements during construction, including the potential location of temporary taxi ranks.”
‘Fantastic regeneration project’
The gateway project is one of three active travel schemes in North Yorkshire, and 39 nationally, being funded by the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund.
It is supported by North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Councillor Phil Ireland, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability, said last week hailed the scheme as a “fantastic regeneration project and the first major investment in Harrogate in 30 years”.
But business groups have expressed concerns about its impact on retail.
£11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway will ‘boost business and house prices’The £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway will boost business, increase house prices and reduce congestion, according to an economic report published today.
North Yorkshire County Council, which is leading on the controversial scheme, has opened a third round of consultation.
As part of this, it published an economic case report showing the impact of the scheme.
The document says there is evidence that town centre retail is at risk of decline and ‘the proposed scheme contributes to increasing investment, job creation and productivity’.
It says the project would also create better opportunities to travel by foot and bike, attract more shoppers, increase land prices and ‘act as a catalyst to urban redevelopment and wider town centre regeneration’.
Businesses have expressed concerns about the impact of the scheme on trade.
They fear the loss of parking spaces, particularly on a part-pedestrianised James Street, and extra traffic caused by reducing some of Station Parade to single lane traffic will deter shoppers, as well as the impact of lengthy construction work.
How James Street will look.
But the economic case report says a survey of James Street users ‘indicates that over 90% of those doing business on the street would be unaffected by the removal of parking’.
It adds:
“Of the 10% or less that are parking, less than 20% were of the opinion that they would take their business elsewhere.
“In combination, were the parking to be removed from James Street, the impact on current shopping/business visitors could be expected to be less than 2%.”
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The findings are based on interviews with 294 people entering or leaving shops or businesses on James Street in October last year.
The report says the ‘overall impact on retail footfall is expected to be positive’ and that ‘research has also shown that station enhancements tend to increase the value of existing land and properties within certain radii surrounding the station’.
Congestion fears
North Yorkshire County Council said last week the scheme would extend the average journey time around town by 73 seconds at peak times. Some opponents fear the reality will be worse and the extra congestion will reduce property prices.
But today’s report rejects this. It says offices near the station are in high demand, adding the 11-storey Exchange tower on Station Parade has 99% occupancy and commanded office rents of approximately £25 per square foot.
Conservative councillors Keane Duncan and Phil Ireland at Station Parade last week.
Houses within 500 metres of the station could expect a 10% increase in value and houses within 1,000 and 1,500 metres could expect an uplift of up to 5%.
The report concludes:
“Based on local conditions, academic studies and case study evidence there is a strong economic case for the Harrogate Station Gateway.”
“The scheme is considered to support inclusive growth by presenting new opportunities to access jobs, education and training – that will serve to support a sustainable labour force in the district.
“This document has reviewed what is a large body of evidence and the strong precedents that indicate the Transforming Cities Fund scheme is likely to increase footfall and retail performance, increase property/land values and increase business investment.”
The project, which is not due to start until at least late spring next year, is one of three in North Yorkshire, and 39 nationally, being funded by the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund to promote active travel.
Today’s economic case report comes after Harrogate property developer Chris Bentley, who owns Hornbeam Park Developments, expressed concerns about the legality of the consultation process and said he was considering a judicial review.
North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority all support the gateway.
You can take part in the consultation here.
New Harrogate Station Gateway details revealed todayThe councils behind the Harrogate Station Gateway said it was time for the town to “seize the opportunity” today, as new details of the project emerged.
A media briefing was held in Harrogate today before a third phase of consultation on the latest proposals begins on Wednesday.
Key elements of the scheme, including the part-pedestrianisation of James Street and some of Station Parade being reduced to single lane, remain in place and are non-negotiable, councillors said.
But the briefing did reveal some changes:
- Two approaches to the Odeon roundabout will be reduced to single lane to make it safer for cyclists. But it won’t be a Dutch-style roundabout giving priority to pedestrians and cyclists.
- Nine trees will be felled as part of the scheme. Twenty-four new ones will be planted.
- The project is predicted to extend the average journey time around town by 73 seconds at peak times.
- Two taxi bays on Station Parade will be lost but new bays will be introduced elsewhere.
- North Yorkshire County Council, the lead partner, has pledged to “robustly defend” any legal challenge after a Harrogate property owner said he was considering a judicial review.
- Inflation and the cost of living crisis are prompting concerns about whether the scheme can be delivered in full. Some cheaper materials could be used.
- North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council have pledged £300,000 between them to bring the value of the scheme up to £11.2 million.
- The start time has been pushed back again until late spring or summer next year and is due to complete by March 2024.
The Odeon roundabout
Conservative councillor Keane Duncan, the executive member for access and transportation at the county council, told the briefing it was time to “crack on”.
He said:
“We want to continue with this scheme. It’s an exciting opportunity for Harrogate. We are at the stage where we either seize the opportunity or lose it.
“We need to take this scheme forward. If we didn’t it would be a travesty for Harrogate.”
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The scheme aims to encourage cycling and walking and make the town centre a more pleasant place to visit.
But business groups fear the loss of parking spaces and potential congestion could deter shoppers.
Cllr Duncan said the council didn’t want a “war” with businesses, which have expressed major doubts about the initiative.
He said the gateway would attract more people into the town centre and be good for business.
‘First major investment in Harrogate for 30 years’
Councillor Phil Ireland, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability, said the scheme was a “fantastic regeneration project and the first major investment in Harrogate in 30 years”.
Cllr Ireland added that if it didn’t succeed, after months of wrangling, it could “affect how Harrogate is looked upon when future funding is available”.
He said the average car journey in the Harrogate district was less than 2km and this scheme would encourage more people in the town centre vicinity to walk or cycle. Those who didn’t, he added, still had 6,000 parking spaces, many of which are free.
The Harrogate scheme is one of three in North Yorkshire, and 39 nationally, being funded by the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund.
Tania Weston, Transforming Cities Fund programme manager at the county council, hailed the public realm benefits, such as completely revamping Station Square to include a water feature and new seats.
Ms Weston added empirical evidence suggested there was widespread misconception about the impact of active travel schemes on businesses, with them usually having a “positive or neutral” impact.
One Arch
She said there would also be a focus on making One Arch “pleasanter” by improving the landscaping and introducing lights with a “shimmering” effect inside the tunnel.
Drop-in sessions will be held from 9am to 5pm at the Victoria Shopping Centre on August 4, 5 and 6 as part of the consultation. An online event will be held on August 10 at 6pm.
Sensory garden with braille plaques opens in Harrogate
A sensory garden created purposefully for visually impaired people in Harrogate was officially opened today.
Spenceley Gardens on Station Parade in Harrogate was refurbished in a joint initiative between Harrogate Borough Council, RHS Garden Harlow Carr and Vision Support Harrogate District.
The gardens, which were originally created in 1973 after the land was gifted to the council by Alderman George Spenceley, has been planted with grasses and herbs to create a sensory area. Braille plaques have been installed to help visually impaired people identify the various plants.
Harrogate borough mayor, Councillor Victoria Oldham and deputy lord-lieutenant Simon Mackness opened the site today.
Councillor Sam Gibbs, the council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:
“I’m delighted to see Spenceley Gardens has been given a new lease of life. The Harrogate district is internationally recognised for its horticultural offering and this sensory garden perfectly complements that.”
The new garden was designed by Phil Keesing and planted by a team of horticulturists from RHS Harlow Carr with the support of students, following funding from local resident Patricia Swallow.
A new sign for the garden has also been designed and provided by Vision Support Harrogate.
Herbs in the garden include sage, rosemary, thyme and southernwood.
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Paul Cook, curator at RHS Garden Harlow Carr said:
“A key part of the RHS vision is to enrich everyone’s life through plants and so we wanted to create a garden full of flowers, herbs and grasses that heighten the senses of smell, touch and sound to ensure the garden is a truly immersive experience for visually impaired people to enjoy.
Who was George Spenceley?
Nick, Julian and Adrian Spenceley, grandchildren of George Spenceley, said in a statement:
“Our grandfather, George Albert Spenceley is fondly remembered by all of us.
“His abiding loves were music and gardens and helped establish the Harrogate cultural scene after the war, inviting Sir John Barbirolli and the Halle Orchestra up to perform in the town.
“Setting up the sensory garden was typical of the warm-hearted, generous grandad we knew. He was to pass away just two years after the garden was established, so this was the last public act he performed.
“He would be delighted to see that they have now got a new lease of life.”
‘I chatted to the Queen in the back of a Range Rover’: Her Majesty’s many visits to the district
The links between the Queen and the Harrogate district stretch back decades, including a visit in 1952 before her coronation.
From her appearances at the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate to her trips to Ripon, including her 2004 visit for another important anniversary – 400 years since the granting of the city’s Royal Charter.
Former director of the Great Yorkshire Show, Bill Cowling, described chaperoning the Queen’s during her last visit in 2008 as one of the highlights of his career.
Royal visit
He told the Stray Ferret:
“The show makes requests for royal visits, sometimes more than a year in advance. It was agreed that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh would come to the show to mark its 150th anniversary.
“Everything was going ahead, plans were progressing. Then an MP called David Davies fell out with the Conservative party, so he resigned his seat and a by-election was called.
“After attending the show in the morning, the Queen and the Duke were then meant to be going to Hull to open a hospital. But due to protocol, the by-election meant the Monarch could not go into an area where this was taking place.
“We thought this meant we had lost our royal visit. But after a week or so, we got a phone call from the palace to say they had been talking it over and they wondered if the Queen and Duke could stop for longer at the Great Yorkshire Show. So in the end the royal visit was for more than five hours!”
HM The Queen arriving in Harrogate for the Great Yorkshire Show in 1957.
Mr Cowling remembered that as the Queen was getting older, it was decided that they would drive to the far end of the showground and walk back.
‘An absolute expert’
He said:
“I never thought I would be sat in the back of a Range Rover with the Queen. You don’t think these things are going to happen.
“She is an absolute expert and makes people who are meeting her comfortable and at home and relaxed.
“One of the things we spoke about was that they had had a garden party at the palace the day before. She said the wet weather had made a bit of a mess of the lawn. She was very down to earth.”
The Queen at the Great Yorkshire Show in 1957.
Mr Cowling said on the walk back she spoke to lots of people at the event.
He said:
“She always gives everybody the full treatment as it were. Everyone will feel like they are the most important person on that visit. That is why she is so expert at putting people at their ease and showing an interest in what they are showing or doing.
“On the way back she also laid the foundation stone for Fodder, which was being built at that time.”
The Queen unveiling a plaque to commemorate the start of work on the Regional Agricultural Centre in 2008.
Mr Cowling said many things stood out about her visit, but he remembered one particular conversation.
The most wonderful visit
He said:
“We stayed for lunch at the show in the president’s pavilion, which is upstairs. The carpet is quite a light colour. The ground conditions were quite muddy and there were a few muddy footprints on the carpet and she turned to me and said “don’t worry it will vac out” It was absolutely out of the blue and so natural.
“It was the most wonderful visit and we were so lucky. In the end we were thanking David Davies for calling a by-election!”
Mr Cowling said he had to “pinch himself” when he saw her on TV after spending so much time with her.
He said:
“It’s a huge honour for the Harrogate region that she comes and shows such an interest.
“We will definitely be raising a glass or two to her this weekend.”
Harrogate Conference Centre
Other visits from the Queen, include the Harrogate Conference Centre in the mid 1980s, where she was the guest of honour at a gala concert in aid of Y Care.
Performers included AHA, Rory Bremner and Wayne Sleep. Terry Waite, who was prominent in the Anglican Church, was also present on behalf of Y Care.
On Thursday, April 4,1985, the Queen and Prince Philip visited Harrogate on the Royal Train and did a 20-minute walkabout in front of the station, where they met members of the public and various charities, including St George’s Home, on Otley Road.
Read more:
They then went on in a royal convey to Ripon Cathedral where the Queen gave out Maundy Money to local parishioners and church volunteers.
Sun Pavilion
In 1998 the Queen re-opened the Sun Pavilion in Harrogate following its restoration. The Sun Pavilion and Colonnade has recently been given Grade II listed status as part of the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
Ripon
On May 27, 2004, the Queen and Prince Philip visited Ripon to mark the 400th anniversary of the city’s Royal Charter, granted by James I in 1604.
As well as visiting Ripon Town Hall, where they stood on the balcony to wave to the mass crowds, they also did a walkabout in Ripon Market Square and spoke with local residents and visitors.
The Queen and Prince Philip pictured in Ripon in 2004 when Cllr Stuart Martin and his wife April, were the mayor and mayoress of the city
In her long 70 year reign the Queen has touched many hearts in the district. The memories of those who have met her on those very special occasions will stay with them forever.
The Queen at the Great Yorkshire Show in 1977.
Marketplace lender Assetz Capital has invested £3m into the development of new flats in Harrogate town centre.
Harrogate-based Tate Estates planned to build 12 two-bedroom apartments at 108 Station Parade by last year.
The development will be situated on 108 Station Parade in Harrogate central
However, the scheme encountered problems due to covid. Lockdowns and construction material shortage disrupted the building schedule.
Ciaran McGivern, relationship director for Assetz based in the north-east, acts as a retained advisor for Tate Estates.
He said:
“I’m delighted to be helping a high-quality client in Tate Estates with their development in Harrogate.
“We hope to continue the excellent working relationship we have established, and this is the first of many successful deals we can fund.”
Rhys Davies, group finance director of Tate Estates, said:
“It was fantastic to get this investment from Assetz on what will be the first in a series of platform development deals.”
It is now hoped the block of flats will be completed in the second quarter of this year.
Harrogate district entrepreneurs boosted by start-up competition
StriveLive, an initiative which helps start-ups, has run a competition to help grassroots entrepreneurs in the Harrogate district launch their business
The StriveLive Harrogate project was funded by Harrogate Borough Council and commissioned by the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub.
Fourteen local entrepreneurs received help from StriveLive through a series of workshops, advice sessions and challenges over seven weeks.
The candidates then competed to impress business experts for the chance to win £2,500.
Business experts from the National Grid, Buying Hobbycraft, Harrogate Borough Council and YNY Growth Hub were included on the panel.
They awarded prizes to participants in five categories.
Karen Allen from Kidzplay Play Box picked up two awards. She won ‘most customer orientated’ and ‘best business concept’.
Hanna Dilley, founder of Benji’s Bites toddler food, won ‘best marketing,’ with Oliver Brown’s business, Wrapd Studios, winning ‘best branding’.
Ms Allen said:
“Strive popped up on my social media at a point when I was searching for support with the business.
“The company gave me the confidence to move forward, the understanding to face the challenges, and the connections within the local area to continue the support after the course finished.”
Clare Parish, from Four Legs Pet Care, and Graham Dodds, from GMD Home Improvements, both received Strive start-up awards.
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Harrogate disability charity explains why some crossings don’t beep
Harrogate-based charity Disability Action Yorkshire has explained why many pedestrian crossings in Harrogate town centre do not make a beeping sound to let blind or visually impaired people know it is safe to cross.
It follows a Stray Ferret article published on Saturday about Harrogate man John Raho, 80, who relies on the noise to help him cross the road safely when vehicles stop and the green man appears.
But from the top of Cheltenham Parade up Station Parade and to the Victoria Avenue junction, 9 out of 10 crossings did not make any noise at all, which Mr Raho said was ‘shameful’.
Mr Raho received some messages of support on social media from people who named other pedestrian crossings in the district where they would like to hear a beeping noise.
Could be confusing
Disability Action Yorkshire was founded 84 years ago and helps disabled people live the life of their choosing.
It has headquarters and a training centre on Hornbeam Park, a residential care home on Claro Road, and a holiday lodge in Lincolnshire.
Its chief executive Jackie Snape said she sympathised with Mr Raho’s plight but said having too many crossings making the noise could be confusing.
Ms Snape said:
“[Crossings that don’t beep] is something we hear quite a lot but I do fully understand the reasons.
“It’s where there are two or three crossings close to each other. People could get confused and walk into the roads.”
Jackie Snape, Disability Action Yorkshire chief executive.
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Ms Snape said there needed to be greater awareness that crossings that don’t beep have a small cone underneath that can be touched. The cone turns when the green man lights up to indicate it is safe to cross.
But she added that since covid, many people did not feel comfortable touching it.
Many crossings have a plastic cone underneath that turns when it is safe to cross
Victoria Avenue junction
Whilst Ms Snape said it would be confusing to have too many crossings on Station Parade making the beeping noise, the silent crossing at the Victoria Avenue junction “needs looking at” because it wasn’t in close proximity to other crossings.
She said crossings like this should be reported to North Yorkshire County Council through its website.
Ms Snape said:
“We’ve reported machines in the past when they have stopped working. Unless they are reported, the council does not know they are not working properly.”
Ms Snape added that if any blind or partially sighted person would like to report a crossing that does not make a beeping noise, the charity can do it on their behalf through its website or by calling 01423 855419.
Partially sighted Harrogate man says it’s ‘shameful’ that many crossings don’t beepA partially sighted Harrogate man has said it’s ‘shameful’ that many pedestrian crossings in Harrogate town centre do not make a beeping noise to let blind or visually impaired people know it is safe to cross.
John Raho, 80, relies on the noise to help him cross the road safely when vehicles stop and the green man appears.
But from the top of Cheltenham Parade up Station Parade and to the Victoria Avenue junction, 9 out of 10 crossings did not make any noise at all when the Stray Ferret tested them yesterday.
Similarly, the crossing by the Odeon cinema does not make a beeping noise.
Mr Raho said:
“I rely on the beep as a reassurance but I noticed that so many of them are not working.
“They are an essential bit of kit. It’s not big science.”
This crossing on Station Parade does not currently make a beeping noise.
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North Yorkshire County Council, which is in charge of highways in the district, is not legally obliged to add beeping noises to pedestrian crossings.
To avoid confusion, it might not have two machines beeping that are close together.
Some crossings may also have a small plastic or metal cone that can be touched. It turns when the green man lights up to indicate it is safe to cross.
This pelican crossing is the only one that beeps on Station Parade.
‘A reassurance’
However, Mr Raho said the beeping noise should be essential to improve town centre access for visually impaired people.
He said:
“It’s a reassurance for me, for others with worse eyesight it’s absolutely essential. You have to be careful.”
Mr Raho said he can just about make out a blurry green man on the other side of the road, but without a sound to guide him, he tries to take his cue from other people.
“It’s alright if other people are crossing, but people do rush across the road.
“If someone gets knocked down, then it is bad news.”
A North Yorkshire County Council spokesperson asked Mr Raho to report any machines that are not working correctly via its website. They added that until he did so it was unable to comment.
Harrogate’s new vegan restaurant venture collapsesA vegan restaurant chain that planned to open a location in Harrogate has ceased trading.
Vertigo took over the space on Station Parade next to Farmhouse in July 2021 and advertised in its window that it was ‘coming soon’.
Since then there has been no sign of movement. The building has remained vacant with only Vertigo branding visible to passers-by.
When the Stray Ferret sought an update in January, we were told the company couldn’t confirm a date for the Harrogate opening due to covid uncertainty.
However, Vertigo has now posted on social media that it has now gone out of business. It said:
“It is with a heavy heart we have to announce Vertigo is no more.
“Sadly, we have ceased trading at all of our sites. The pandemic really took its toll on us, and trade is still well behind what it was pre-March 2020; and now with significantly increased costs (especially utilities) it is no longer viable for us to operate.”
The chain operated three eateries in Manchester.
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Boarded-up building in Harrogate town centre could become pharmacy
Plans have been lodged to convert the former William Hill bookmakers in Harrogate town centre into a pharmacy and retail unit.
The Pharmacy Group has submitted a planning application to Harrogate Borough Council to convert the boarded-up unit on the town’s Beulah Street.
It would see the bookies, which has been closed for some time, converted into a shop and the unit facing Station Parade into a pharmacy.
Office space will also be created in the space above the pharmacy.
The view from Station Parade.
The Pharmacy Group is a third generation family-owned business with 30 NHS community pharmacies across Yorkshire. They include Harrogate Pharmacy on Haywra Crescent.
The developer said in documents submitted to the council that the proposal would bring “positive benefits” to the area.
It said:
“The change of use from turf accountants to retail and offices and the proposed redevelopment of the site will bring positive benefits to the area by maintaining, enhancing and giving new life to a key property on both Beulah Street and Station Parade.”
Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.
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