Scarborough Bottom Enders Betrayed?

One year ago today, on 31st May 2022, Scarborough businessman Mr Peter LEE published an 8-page Open Letter, countersigned by 100 residents of Scarborough’s Bottom End.

The Open Letter was addressed to:

1). The Town Deal Fund Board.
2). The whole Scarborough Borough Council, its Officers and representatives.
3). The whole business community of Scarborough Seafront and Harbour.
4). The whole business community of Scarborough Town Centre.
5). All residents of Scarborough.

To the best of the Enquirer’s knowledge and belief, NO RESPONSE has been forthcoming from ANY of the ‘officials’.

The thrust of Mr LEE’s Open Letter was synopsised thus:

1). The Council are intent to create a scheme on our West Pier to include the removal of car parking and the development of a substantial new retail, hospitality and event venue space.

2). This will be in direct competition with the rest of the Town and especially with the existing seafront community. It will seriously harm every business and everyones livelyhoods. It will add dramatically to the existing traffic chaos, frustration and confrontation with visitors and residents having nowhere to park.

3). If completed the new ‘MUST VISIT’ destination created by the Council will divert business away from the genuine struggling Town Centre, the struggling refurbished Market and all the Seafront Traders businesses.

4). The Council has been dishonest in its application for Town Deal funding to complete the Scheme.

5). The Government dictates; Town Deal funding can only be used for the purpose of reviving struggling Town Centres and is not for any use outside this area. In order to obtain funding the Council in its application have stated that The West Pier is in the Town Centre.

6). The West Pier is evidently not in the Town Centre nor are the Seafront community struggling.

7). The Government Dictates; BEFORE any plans for a new project are drawn up and progress, serious and substantial consultations must take place with everyone affected so communities are involved and so their essential knowledge can be exploited to aid the project. No such consultations have taken place and the Council have acted in secrecy.

8). The Government dictates; BEFORE any funding is agreed the whole community and everyone affected must be on board supporting the project with enthusiasm. An overwhelming majority of over 90% of our community oppose this outrageous scheme on our West Pier.

9). The Town Deal Fund Board has been specifically set up to protect the communities affected, to ensure they have a voice and are in support of new developments. Town Deal Fund Boards must ensure all funding is appropriate to the funds objectives and that Government dictates are applied throughout. They have failed in every department and signed off on the Councils deceitfulapplication for funding.

The above assertions could not be more serious. Readers are invited to review the Open Letter in full, below, followed by the complete list of co-signatories:

Open Letter

Open Letter Signatories

It would be interesting to know how Mr Richard FLINTON, the Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Council (the legal ‘heir’ to Scarborough Borough Council’s assets and liabilities) would respond to Mr LEE’s allegations.

Hopefully, someone will ask him . . .