Knaresborough has been named as one of Britain’s up-and-coming travel destinations in a new survey.
Holiday rental website HomeToGo published the names of 10 places today tipped to be rising star travel spots during 2024.
The locations were chosen based on the percentage increase in searches and the cost of accommodation.
Knaresborough, which is the highest ranked place in Yorkshire, came eighth. Glenridding, in Cumbria, was first.
Searches for Knaresborough increased by 64% and the survey lists the median average nightly price as £138.04.
People visit Knaresborough, it says, for “rowing boats on the River Nidd, breathtaking views from Knaresborough Castle, and the intriguing Mother Shipton’s Cave”.
Mother Shipton’s
The top 10 is:
1 Glenridding
2 Kirkby Lonsdale
3 Ross-on-Wye
4 Kendal
5 Norwich
6 Solihull
7 Tynemouth
8 Knaresborough
9 Orkney
10 Hebden Bridge
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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.”
Read more:
- £11.2m Station Gateway set to go ahead after crucial Harrogate area vote
- Council in discussions with Harrogate Station Gateway contractor
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:
£11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway will ‘boost business and house prices’“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.”
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.
Knaresborough survey reveals key issues for local peopleSpeeding, mental health and activities for young people are among the main issues concerning Knaresborough residents, according to a new survey platform.
Multiple town groups set up Knaresborough Voice this year to give local people the opportunity to discuss what matters to them. With devolution looming, the groups wanted a platform for people to discuss where investment in the town should go.
Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, Knaresborough Connectors and North Yorkshire County Council are among those supporting the venture.
The platform uses technology called Polis – an artificial intelligence-driven software designed to find communities’ complex views.
People offer anonymous responses or agree and disagree with other people’s statements on certain topics.
Three conversations so far
So far, the platform has been used to start three conversations:
- What’s most important in making Knaresborough an even better place to live and work?
- Should there be a default speed limit of 20mph – rather than 30mph – in the town and in residential areas?
- The state of mental health in the area after the two years of covid.
The conversation about what’s most important in Knaresborough is the first to be completed.
It generated 116 responses, which received almost 5,700 votes.
Read more:
- The new anonymous voting tool to find Harrogate’s consensus on key issues
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Over 80% of respondents agreed there needed to be more opportunities for young people; that the town should welcome diversity; that there is a need to fill the gaps in the town centre offer; that pavements needed to be kept tidy and safe and that more needed to be made of York Road car park.
The groups behind Knaresborough Voice hope it will become a well-used platform for debate that can impact decisions made by local councillors.
Peter Lacey, a chamber committee member, said:
“The platform was set up in the light of devolution to collect views and connect community groups. A conversation starts by a someone suggesting a topic and we work to shape the statements and post the survey.”
The findings will be taken to Knaresborough Town Council next month in the hope they will be used to shape its decisions.
Harrogate back in top three happiest places to live in BritainHarrogate is back in the top three happiest places to live in Great Britain, according to a survey of tens of thousands of residents now in its tenth year.
Property website Rightmove is behind the poll, which measured factors such as community spirit, nature and the opportunity to develop skills locally.
This year’s poll of more than 21,000 people gave the Northumberland market town of Hexham the top spot, Richmond upon Thames in Greater London second place and Harrogate third.
While Harrogate previously topped the “happy at home index” in 2015, the spa town dropped to ninth place in the survey last year.
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Daryll Digpal, the managing director at Beadnall Copley in Harrogate said:
“Harrogate property prices across both lettings and sales markets soaring due to unprecedented demand fuelled by lockdowns and the Chancellor’s Stamp Duty holiday.
“The town boasts a thriving high street with many international retail brands, a booming hospitality industry and excellent state and private schools.
“Furthermore, at its heart is the famous Stray owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, a much enjoyed haven, particularly over the past 18 months.
“As such is it no surprise that this attractive spa town is one of the country’s happiest places to live.”
Where are the happiest place to live in Britain?
- Hexham, North East – average asking price £297,088
- Richmond upon Thames, Greater London – average asking price £1,196,892
- Harrogate, Yorkshire and Humber – average asking price £353,624
- Hove, South East – average asking price £525,906
- Llandrindod Wells, Wales – average asking price £193,601
- Stirling, Scotland – average asking price £191,226
- Monmouth, Wales – average asking price £312,649
- St Ives, South West – average asking price £494,393
- Anglesey, Wales – average asking price £278,391
- Leamington Spa, West Midlands – average asking price £350,981
- Perth, Scotland – average asking price £167,160
- Hitchin, East of England – average asking price £491,223
- Woodbridge, East of England – average asking price £427,542
- Kendal, North West – average asking price £258,961
- Macclesfield, North West – average asking price £277,772
- Exeter, South West – average asking price £303,215
- Salisbury, South West – average asking price £318,806
- Horsham, South East – average asking price £433,892
- St Albans, East of England – average asking price £632,320
- Guildford, South East – average asking price £542,947
