Late listing bid to save market cobbles

The bid to protect the cobbles went in on the eve of the latest protest outside County Hall, in Beverley, which attracted around 200 people and was sparked by fears that work to remove them could begin as soon as Monday.

But in the face of mounting protests East Riding Council has rescheduled the removal of the setts, part of a £2.5m revamp – a move welcomed by campaigners.

Prof Barbara English, of Beverley Civic Society, said: “We applied for the spot listing on the eve of the council meeting because we feared that within a few days the setts would have been removed and it was a very urgent matter. We are very pleased that the council has authorised these changes to the phasing of the plan because the work they will begin with won’t touch the setts or the kerbs.”

Among the protesters was Peter Bond, 87, from Walkington, who is registered disabled.

“I don’t the want the place spoiling,” he said.

“The setts are part of the scene and part of the character of the market place. I’d rather the money was spent on the pavements – the setts are not dangerous.”

Campaign group Save Our Setts, organised by Beverley Action Group, has held protest parades through the town – which has a population of less than 30,000 - one attracting around 600 
people - and has gathered more than 1,000 signatures on a petition.

Richard Armstrong, from Beverley Action Group, said the latest protest showed the enormous support they had, adding: “The council claims they have evidence of support. Where is it?

“We can prove we have the support of the people of Beverley, not only that, but we have support from people all over the country who support us on our website and messages from the other side of the world from ex-residents who are absolutely incensed at what the council is proposing
to do.”

English Heritage advised the council against the plan and urged the council to keep the cobbles, which historians believe are at least 175 years old.

However, the council says the setts were secondhand, including some from Hull Docks, and that they were relaid in Saturday Market in the early 1980s when the then A1079 was being “detrunked”.

Regional director of English Heritage Trevor Mitchell said yesterday the age of the setts was not the point: “We value locally distinctive aspects of the historic environment.

“If the setts in Beverley market place have been there for some time and have become part of what makes Beverley market place look like Beverley market place as opposed to anywhere else in England, we think locally distinctive features have merit in giving a locality its own character.

“Whether or not the setts have been there for 100, 300 or 50 years isn’t the point.

“Paving materials are mass produced – you can see the same paving materials from John O’Groats to Lands End.”

The council has said it does not believe the setts provided a suitable surface for less able-bodied people and disabled groups were in favour of them being removed. A plan envisaged reusing around 30 per cent of the setts at the entrance of Old Waste, the ends of each row of car park spaces and an area off Ladygate, with the others put in storage.

In a surprise move, council leader Coun Steve Parnaby told a meeting of East Riding Council he had instructed officers to re-phase the scheme with works to the setts now scheduled for the latter part of the project “to allow further
discussions with stakeholders.”

He claimed wide support for the scheme and said it was “disappointing given the degree of consultation with stakeholder groups that the situation with the granite setts has arisen at the last minute before the scheme is to commence.

“Consultations began in August and involved amongst others, the Civic Society, Beverley Renaissance Partnership, Conservation Groups, Disability Monitoring Group and Beverley Town Council.”

He said it had always been the intention to keep the setts and kerbs for reuse in Beverley and would ask officers to look at using them around the historic Minster. Several years ago, plans were put forward to transform the market square into a continental-style piazza, complete with fountains and trees. They were ditched following a public outcry.