The chair of Harrogate Civic Society has renewed calls for North Yorkshire Council to address concerns about the condition and future of several historic buildings and structures in Harrogate.
Michael Newby has raised concerns about the Sun Parlours in Valley Gardens, St John’s Well, Tewit Well, the West Park shelters and the town’s historic serpent benches.
In a statement issued on 14 October, Mr Newby said council officers had offered to meet him to discuss the Society’s concerns, but that more than two weeks had passed without a meeting date being proposed.
North Yorkshire Council has since confirmed to The Harrogate Informer that Mr Newby has been contacted about a meeting date. The council has not yet provided a substantive response to the concerns raised about the heritage assets.
Concerns about the condition of heritage assets
The latest statement follows an earlier appeal issued by the Society on 25 September, asking whether the council cared about Harrogate’s heritage.
In the earlier statement, Mr Newby highlighted the Sun Parlours in Valley Gardens, St John’s Well and Tewit Well, describing concerns about their condition and the need for attention to the historic structures.
He also raised concerns about the West Park shelters, the condition of the inscription on the Wetherby Road war memorial, and what he described as the disappearance of historic serpent benches.
Mr Newby said he had first contacted the council about the removal of the benches around 18 months ago and was still seeking an answer about what had happened to them.
He also questioned what would happen to the 14 serpent benches in Station Gardens during the Station Gateway scheme, and raised concerns about the future of heritage lampposts at One Arch.
The claims about the condition and management of these assets have been raised by the Society and have not been independently verified by The Harrogate Informer.
Statement has not been put to a membership vote
Mr Newby has clarified that the Society’s statement has not been formally adopted through a vote of its membership.
He told The Harrogate Informer that he had reported his work on the issue on behalf of members at the Society’s last two meetings. The issue had also been discussed by the committee, which had agreed to continue pressing North Yorkshire Council over the heritage assets.
Mr Newby said no vote had been taken at the membership meetings and that nobody had objected to his position. He added that some members had expressed informal support in discussions after the meetings.
The distinction means the statement reflects the concerns being pursued by the Society’s chair, supported by committee agreement to maintain pressure on the council, rather than a position formally approved by a vote of the full membership.
Council response
A spokesperson at North Yorkshire Council, said: Our position is that Mr Newby has been contacted and a meeting being arranged.
The council’s response confirms that contact has been made about arranging a meeting, but does not establish whether a date has been agreed or set out any specific plans for the buildings and structures identified by Mr Newby.
The Harrogate Informer has sought the council’s response to the concerns raised about the heritage assets.