Inquiry launched into Knaresborough's retail scene

Described as the largest public inquiry on retail in Knaresborough, the town’s MP Andrew Jones and local councillors want residents to complete a survey about shopping in the High Street and at the town’s weekly market.

It comes at a time when 17 shops lie vacant on the High Street and follows a controversial proposal by Harrogate Borough Council for market traders to provide their own stalls, rather than use the existing ones provided by the local authority.

Thousands of people signed an online petition opposing the plan over fears stallholders would be driven away, and the idea has now been “shelved”, Councillor Richard Cooper, the leader of Harrogate Borough Council said.

This new consultation with the community is aimed at broadening the conversation about how to revive the ailing retail fortunes of the town and copies of the Retail Inquiry survey are being posted to every home in Knaresborough.

Conservative MP Mr Jones has teamed up with local councillors Phil Ireland, John Batt, Ed Darling and resident Samantha Mearns who are co-chairing the Retail Inquiry with him.

Mr Jones said: “The market has been part of Knaresborough since 1310. That’s why I want to back Harrogate Council’s efforts to re-boot Knaresborough’s market but also to look at the wider context of shopping and services in Knaresborough.

“The health of the High Street and the health of the market are closely linked; improving one will improve the other.

“But to ensure we do this in a way which is based on evidence we need to get a comprehensive picture of what brings – and what doesn’t bring - shoppers to Knaresborough now and what improvements can be made to encourage more people to shop in town and visit the market.”

Steve Teggin, president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce, welcomed the inquiry, saying: “It’s absolutely superb and not before it’s time. We need to put Knaresborough back as a proper trading centre where people want to come. You only have to walk around the centre to see the lack of investment.

“The high street has 17 empty shops and although our traders are resilient, they are on survival mode. Knaresborough needs a bit of revitalisation and hopefully this is what they are trying to do.”

Harrogate Council leader Coun Cooper, whose remit covers neighbouring Knaresborough, wants owners of vacant premises to help revive the town’s retail appeal.

He said: “Knaresborough’s retail vacancy rate is about half of the national average however there are a number of empty shops on the high street, some of which have been for decades and that’s unacceptable.

“I think the Council has to look at how it approaches the companies and individuals involved in order to get them back into some type of use.”

Adding that he was open-minded about how to boost the town, Coun Cooper said: “There are no preconceptions, no fixed ideas or place to end up. We expect a wide range of ideas and my mind is open to all of them.”

Mr Jones said he hoped that the full results of the Inquiry will be published at the end of February.

HARROGATE’S HIGH STREET CHALLENGE

Knaresborough and its larger neighbour Harrogate may be different retail propositions but the spa town has High Street headaches of its own, so says the chief executive of the Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce.

Sandra Doherty rued the closure of women’s fashion retailer Dorothy Perkins in Harrogate at the turn of the year and said she feared the recent “use us or lose plea” by independent Harrogate restaurant Norse would soon be repeated by others.

Big dining chains have moved in and a number of independent shops and eateries have shut, and Ms Doherty said: “We are in danger of being busy at evenings but less busy in the day and a High Street won’t sustain that for long.”