Harrogate Summary

[Leeds No.1]

Yeah its at Hornbeam Park; the frame is a dark brownish colour though rather than steel/silver kinda colours. It just looks like a massive A frame from other parts of town; it only becomes clear its a pyramid up close.

[Leeds No.1]

Time for an update I think!
harrogatetoday.co.uk

We're one of best places to live!
HARROGATE is once again the envy of Britain having been named one of the top five places to live in the UK for the second year running.
And with a life expectancy of 80, two years above the national average, residents can enjoy it for longer.

Voted third last year in Channel 4’s the Best and Worst Places to live in the UK, Harrogate was placed fourth in last night’s programme.

Sofie Allsopp and Phil Spencer named the Harrogate district, which includes Ripon and Knaresborough as one of the most desirable places for this year’s house-buyers.

Despite Orkney being the only other northern contender, the district beat idyllic southern beauty-spots including West Dorset and Epsom and Ewell in Surrey and South Cambridgeshire.

Harrogate piled up the points thanks to its low crime and unemployment while a high life expectancy, quality of life and exam grades all helped it maintain a place in the top five.

The one-place slip is apparently down to a slight drop in education results, but Harrogate’s students still perform above average in the classrooms with more than 71 per cent of students still getting five or more A*-C grades at GCSE.

l We all love the Stray, Bettys and our flowers. But what else makes Harrogate a great place for you? Email ackrill.news@ypn.co.uk or write to the Advertiser at 1, Cardale Park, HG3 1RZ.
27 October 2006

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Better facilities for rail passengers
NEW facilities are being installed at a Harrogate railway halt.
In the same week tenders are due in for a new £440,000 footbridge at Hornbeam railway halt, Harrogate Borough Council has entered into a land deal with Hornbeam Park Development Company.

Under the terms of the lease, the development company propose to provide toilets, shower facilities and a newsagents’ kiosk for the railway halt. .

Coun Julian Sturdy, Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport, said: “Railway halts are good news for train travellers but by their very nature they have limited facilities.

“So we are extremely pleased with this partnership deal for the toilets and newsagents' kiosk, which will improve things for train users and other visitors to the site.

“I am also pleased to announce that we have just entered the Hornbeam commuters’ car park for a Safer Parking Scheme ‘Park Mark’ Award because of low crime rate.”

When complete, the new facilities will be open from 6am to 10pm, seven days a week.
27 October 2006

^ I'm guessing that is Hornbeam Park station.. which isn't a halt =/ And by the sound of it that station will be better than Harrogate central!


Royal Baths Phase 2 has now been fully completed; has been for a few months now...

The top penthouse on Parliament Street's tower has been sold for just over £800,000, and the building is now uplit in a blue/purple colour.

Starbeck Baths are still under threat but oh well I'm sure they'll get over it.

Route 36 has increased from 97 journeys per day to 110

LK Bennet has opened on James Street

A new office building has opened on the old site of Nucleus, right in the centre of the business district.

And as far as I know, the Harrogate Interchange project is as slow moving as it always has been-in other words it doesnt look likely to happen in the next 50 years. But they're upgrading the footbridge apparently. It is more likely Bilton Station and Knaresborough East will be built before that probably.

[Smoggie_Si]

Yay for Harrogatay!

[Leeds No.1]

lol. To be fair not much changes in terms of buildings! The international centre will get a new hall from time to time; thats about it! Tbh, there are no brownfield sites in Harrogate. Everywhere is developed; developers look to car parks; like Caddick Harrogate Interchange. Once thats developed- its urban sprawl all the way; Dragon Rd maybe... but its a bit out of the centre.

Bilton Triangle has proposals to be developed; lots new houses; major expansion of Harrogate's urban area. And the northern and Killinghall bypass. Both those schems are so controversial they may never happen; people in Harrogate like to preserve whats here; generally people who don't like change.

[Leeds No.1]

Forgot to mention Toyworld is open in the Victoria Centre; and theres a growing number of chocolatiers...

[LeedsLad]

Lol exciting stuff. Harrogate is very nice as it is and IMO doesn't need too many new developments.

[Leeds No.1]

It's nice; but there's so much more that could be done. Leeds has much better shopping; Harrogate is poor comparitaveley; theres an improvement to be made. Leeds also has alot more events (Ice Cube, Leeds Lights, Spirit of the Wild type exhibitions etc) that should also be introduced to Harrogate; on a smaller scale fair enough. Streets need to come alive in Harrogate; especially at night. Transport is a major area; Harrogate and District have no subsidy, customer-fare based; and Harrogate is out of the Metro area. Proposals to introduce a new Metro zone covering the North Yorkshire part of the Leeds City Region would address this, and give the area a fair deal. Transport is expensive here. All day Leeds- £2.30 is it? Something like that. One return journey Harrogate; £1.20.

[Smoggie_Si]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

Streets need to come alive in Harrogate; especially at night.

Agreed although ironically enough I've recently found Harrogate more intimidating on a weekend evening than any night out in Leeds or London. I think it's that in a smallish town centre everyone gets crammed into one area whereas in a larger centre there are different zones, for example go around Boar Lane for 10 pints, a kebab and a fight whereas around the Calls or North Street for a classier night out. In Harrogate it's all mixed together.

[Leeds No.1]

Its Parliament Street area where it all is at night; and up along The Stray. The shopping areas are dead though; some nice restaurants should open up to liven the streets up. Perfect place for street cafes.

[Smoggie_Si]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

Perfect place for street cafes.

Tell me about it, I've been trying to get one for over 2 years now!

[Val Verde]

Staying on the theme on Harrogate which I bought up on the Leeds thread there are a number of things I am just wandering. They include:

1. Has there been any progress on the planned Victoria Centre extension yet and refurbishment of Harrogate station and has there been any news of any potential tenants?



2. Regarding the large car park at the back of the Odeon Cinema has there ever been any proposals to expand the number of screens at the Odeon to the back of the cinema from the present 5 screens up to 8-10 screens by using that car park to the rear of the cinema (whilst providing underground or multi storey car parking)? I guess it would be easily be done and would help keep one of the few old style Odeons left in long term operation.

image hosted on flickr


3. Has there been any progress on the controversially planned new Tesco which I believe is planned for the west of the town?

4. Also has there been any development which I believe was to be planned for the Montpellier Quarter to the west of the town and any other news recently in Harrogate of planned developments?

[Leeds No.1]

Tesco is the main development really in Harrogate. Ill go onto that later.

But Harrogate Interchange- nothings happening as of yet at all. Very slow moving there. Wouldnt expect anything to happen anytime soon. It is a busy interchange though in need of investment.

The Victoria Centre was refurbished (Although now its worse IMO) in 1999. And I know of no extensions. But another Costa opened a while ago down near McDonalds, and La Senza are moving to inside the centre from outside.

H&M are rumoured to be opening next to Toyworld too.

ASDA is due for another refit apparently. Sainsburys has recently been doubled in size for a larger starbucks, new clothes and home area.

Im not aware of any changes at the ODEON but many people in Harrogate will go to The Light not Odeon. £7.00 at Harrogate ODEON.

I don't know of any changes in the Montpellier Quarter.

Jimmy's nightclub has reopened a few units up from where it originally was. Ministry of Sound closed; not sure of its replacement though.

Tesco
http://www2.harrogatetoday.co.uk/tesco/tescohome.asp

Originally, it looked quite probable that it would be built, but theres lots of resistance. Harrogate is a very NIMBY like town and a hard place for things to get built. I think that it will be a long timescale but it will get built eventually. Im personally for it. They originally wanted to open a store by Christmas this year.

[Smoggie_Si]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

Jimmy's nightclub has reopened a few units up from where it originally was. Ministry of Sound closed; not sure of its replacement though.

Jimmys! A serious blast from the past there, I remember drinking there when I was 16

Not surprised that MoS has closed, their concept was completely wrong for Harrogate, I actually tried to get that unit before them, another one to add to the long list of Harrogate bars that I missed out on, ho hum!

[Leeds No.1]

What sort of place do you expect to see in Harrogate then?

Flares is across the road (originally Edwards), theres also Mansion, Moko Lounge, Revolution, Wetherspoons, Carringtons... err...

[Smoggie_Si]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

What sort of place do you expect to see in Harrogate then?

Flares is across the road (originally Edwards), theres also Mansion, Moko Lounge, Revolution, Wetherspoons, Carringtons... err...

I don't know Mansion or Moko Lounge, will check them out when I'm next up. Is one of them the old BRB unit next to MoS?

I'd rather gnaw my arm off than go to Flares or Carringtons, Weatherspoons and Revolution are nearly as bad!

Sadly my bar plans have been put on the backburner for the foreseeable future but don't really want to say any more as the gap is still there as far as I can see!

[Leeds No.1]

Same (in relation to Carringtons/Flares). One of my friends worked in Carringtons; said it was awful.

BRB? You mean on the south side of the Turkish Baths, on the left of Ministry of Sound? Up the hill a little? If so, thats Wetherspoons; goes through and comes out at the back of the Royal Baths, where Revolution is too.

Theres some other bars round there too, cant remember the names.

[Smoggie_Si]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

BRB? You mean on the south side of the Turkish Baths, on the left of Ministry of Sound? Up the hill a little? If so, thats Wetherspoons; goes through and comes out at the back of the Royal Baths, where Revolution is too.

No mate, the one next to Wetherspoons as you go up Parliament Street, in the parade of shops under Harrogate House. It used to be called BRB, then called HG1 (?), last time I drove past it had changed name and looked more like a restaurant than a bar. It was called Pump Rooms when I were a lad, I used to spend far too many free periods in there playing pool when I was in the 6th form!

[Leeds No.1]

Oh yeh. I think its still BRB. HG1 is now on Station Parade opposite Waitrose I think. I havent been in

[Smoggie_Si]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

Oh yeh. I think its still BRB. HG1 is now on Station Parade opposite Waitrose I think. I havent been in

No BRB sold it, I think it's called something beginning with B. I'm back in Harrogatay in a couple of weeks, so will have a pop in there. Where are Mansion and Moko Lounge then?

[Leeds No.1]

Oh. Well Ill have a look if Im walking pass anytime soon. Might even detour that way especially. Mansion and Moko Lounge or where Jimmys is. On the end of Kings Road opposite the Conference Centre, A61 Southbound.