Late night drinking woes in Harrogate

IT IS one of Yorkshire’s most picturesque towns but businesses in Harrogate have voiced concerns that late night revellers are forcing them to clear up vomit and urine from their windows and shop doors the morning after.
The Royal Baths building  in HarrogateThe Royal Baths building  in Harrogate
The Royal Baths building in Harrogate

Now a group of residents and businesses in the Parliament Street area have formed a group which is calling for more to be done to protect their businesses and for consideration to be given to the number of late licences being granted.

Around thirty people attended a recent meeting organised by Harrogate Chamber of Trade and Commerce who are concerned about changes to the area and the impact of the late night drinking culture.

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Mike Procter, who led the meeting and whose business M Procter Opticians is on Parliament Street, said: “I was really pleased with the number of people who came to the meeting to discuss their concerns.

“It quickly became clear that there were some common themes shared by retailers and residents.”

Among the topics raised by residents was the late-night disruption from noise on the streets, which local hotel and holiday apartment owners said was affecting their business. Nearby shop owners, meanwhile, said they were regularly faced with the after-effects of late night drinking, having to clean up urine and vomit from their doorways in the morning.

“A number of businesses in and around Parliament Street experience a problem arising from night time economic activity.

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“They have to clean vomit from windows and front doors,” he added.

Fears were raised over the growing number of late-night licences being granted, allowing premises to sell alcohol until 4am, or, in some cases, 6am.

Mr Procter says he realises it is important for the spa town to attract visitors and recognises late night licensing is a big part of this but hopes to work with others to shape future development of the area.

“The chamber is very aware of the importance of the visitor economy to the Harrogate District, and the need to balance that with the views of local residents and businesses.

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“There will be further meetings in the coming months to see how we can put together a strategy for the town centre and improve both the day and night-time environment for everyone,” he said.

Harrogate Borough Council, which was represented at the meeting, is due to carry out a consultation in the coming months over a town centre strategy.

The spa town is not alone in dealing with problems caused by late night drinking. Last week one Scarborough councillor warned about the perils of the Yorkshire coast’s “24/7 drinking culture” and said he would prefer to return to licensing laws which saw pubs and clubs closed at a certain time.

Coun Bill Chatt, Scarborough Borough Council’s cabinet member for public health and housing, was speaking after an action plan has been drawn up to tackle the issue in Scarborough, Whitby and Filey and try to reduce drink-related crime and disorder.

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He said: “I think that we need to go back to a time when pubs shut at a time and nightclubs shut at a certain time. I think that this 24/7 drinking culture has been tried and failed.”

A report to the cabinet committee, which met on Tuesday warned of the dangers of “pre-loading,” where people are drinking large amounts of alcohol at home before coming out to begin their night out, is a growing feature of the night time economy, particularly in Scarborough. Crime statistics show problems are concentrated between midnight and 5am.

The report called for emphasis to be placed on the area having a more diverse night time economy, offering more variety and encouraging people of all ages to enjoy nights out. This could include the late opening of cafes, events over the summer and cultural and retail activities, it said.

Meanwhile, in Harrogate, Mr Procter hopes the group will continue to meet and help shape the future of the area.

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“We’d like to improve the dialogue between businesses and residents, and the licensees in the area,” he said.

“We’re also hoping to build up better links with local police officers and the council so they’re aware of the problems and we can help guide their policies and decisions.”

Anyone interested in helping the group or giving their views on the future of Parliament Street should email: [email protected] for more information. Members of the group have also pledged to work together, and with others, to help guide the way the area develops in future.