YP Letters: Harlow Carr path plans are on wrong track

From: Tanya Burnett, Harrogate.
A reader's photograph of the gardens at Harlow Carr.A reader's photograph of the gardens at Harlow Carr.
A reader's photograph of the gardens at Harlow Carr.

I AM very concerned about the RHS Harlow Carr’s plans to move a public right of way, that has been in place for over 170 years, near their recently acquired property, formerly the Harrogate Arms.

The RHS wants to remove the right of way that has been enjoyed by members of the public since the Harlow Carr Hotel was built in the 1840s, and re-route the general public around the back of the former Harrogate Arms so the front of the building can be enjoyed exclusively by RHS members.

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Hundreds of members of the public enjoy this walk, and admire the front of the building every week and it is unsatisfactory that the RHS wish to re-direct non-RHS members around the back, an area currently home to scruffy car parks and container units.

The RHS has owned Harlow Carr for less than 20 years and in that time has taken over two fields for parking, put a man-made path through historic woodland for members walking from the car parks and now they have bought the Harrogate Arms for use exclusively by their members and want to re-route a 174-year-old public right of way.

The RHS should leave the path in its current location and use their imagination to incorporate the path into the landscape.