UCI cycling report - 'whitewash' or boost to Harrogate?

Nearly five months after the world’s greatest cyclists left town, businesses in Harrogate remain divided about whether hosting the UCI Road World Championships was worth it.

Even the publication of last week’s reports into the impact of the international cycling event on Harrogate and Harrogate Borough Council in financial terms has led to controversy.

Neither the UCI Road World Championships impact study by Ernst & Young nor the report by Harrogate Borough Council expenditure and income for the 2019 UCI Road World Championships attempt to calculate lost trade in the town centre caused by disruption, road closures and the less than expected visitor numbers.

This lack of scrutiny of the negative aspects appears to have reopened the door on the whole controversy.

While some business leaders say they recognise the UCIs overall contribution to the Harrogate district’s economy, put at £17.8 million in the Ernst & Young report, anger remains rife in parts of the business Harrogate community.

Some have even called the report’s conclusions a “whitewash.”

UCI cycling event: What Independent Harrogate says

Speaking on behalf of Independent Harrogate, William Woods, one of the founding members of the pressure group which now includes nearly 200 businesses, said: “So many people have rung me up to complain about the report’s shortcomings. There are some very angry people.

“To put out the Ernst & Young report and just ignore the negative effect the cycling had on businesses is not acceptable. It wasn’t just one or two shops. The bulk of the town centre was decimated. The report is a whitewash.”

The brief for Ernst & Young’s report, commissioned at a cost of £19,000 by Harrogate Borough Council, did not include the reporting on any potential losses to individual business and was to be focused on the impact to the town as a whole. It concluded overall there was a £17.8 million boost to the Harrogate district.

But the managing director of Hornbeam Park Developments Ltd, Chris Bentley, who owns prime propertes in shopping areas of Harrogate town centre, said the UCI economic impact report itself was symptomatic of one of the town’s current ills.

Mr Bentley said: “The Ernst & Young report is a masterpiece of fiction. I think we have a complete disconnect from the organisers’ utopian view of the outcome and that of the financial reality on the ground.

“As a town, there needs to be an honest and open debate of the future of such events.”

UCI cycling event: What Harrogate commercial property owner says

The managing director of Hornbeam Park Developments Ltd, Chris Bentley, who owns prime propertes in shopping areas of Harrogate town centre, said the UCI economic impact report itself was symptomatic of one of the town’s current ills. And he is calling for an "honest" debate about any future event.

Mr Bentley said: “The Ernst & Young report is a masterpiece of fiction. I think we have a complete disconnect from the organisers’ utopian view of the outcome and that of the financial reality on the ground.

“As a town, there needs to be an honest and open debate of the future of such events.”

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UCI cycling event: What Harrogate Borough Council says

Harrogate council’s leader admitted that some town centre shops and businesses had lost out but the event’s legacy would be of real benefit to the district's economy.

Coun Richard Cooper said: “I do agree that the nine days of the event weren’t what some town centre retailers hoped for.

“I understand that they are disappointed at that. So am I.

“But I am pleased that the ongoing legacy is new conferences coming here and a general year-round increase in the number of visitors who will, of course, use our local independent shops, staying in local guest houses and visit the surrounding areas of Ripon, Knaresborough and the Dales.

"I think we have acknowledged in the past that with torrential rain for almost all of the nine days - and ever since - footfall over that period was markedly lower than we would have wanted businesses to enjoy.

"What i can say is that we have already won a global cycling summit to the Convention Centre (without any street races or road closures) for the first time on the back of our hosting the UCI championships, 85% of international visitors said they would recommend coming here for a holiday to their family and friends, 78% said they will come back themselves.

"Tourism isn't something that happens and then it is gone. It is built up over a sustained period. Visitors don't just come here; they come here for a reason and then come here again for a holiday.

"Conferences and exhibitions are won through visibility and recommendations from those who have been here.

"That's why we have won the Conservative Party Spring Forum this may. That's why worldwide conferences like Thoughtbubble / Comicon are booking with is for a second year.

"Viewing any event through the prism of just nine days will not give a full or accurate picture of its medium and long-term impact on footfall in the town centre.

"We will always listen to businesses when planning events. Indeed for the UCI championships we spoke to the Chamber of Trade who the Harrogate Advertiser reported at the time 'responded favourably'.

UCI cycling event: What Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce says

As an organisation seeking to represent the whole of the business community, Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce said it understood the frustration of some town centre businesses but said this had to be put in context.

Some businesses, it said, had been too polite to say in public they had actually done well.

The chamber’s chief executive Sandra Doherty said: "The event certainly divided businesses into those who suffered and those who benefitted.

"From those who have spoken to us, we know many did not want to shout loudly about how well they did at the time because it would be insensitive to their fellow traders.

"We understand the frustration of many businesses in the town centre who feel the report has underplayed the negative impact on them.

"This report acknowledges the limitations in its assessment of the negative aspects, focusing instead on the overall benefits to the district.

"As a chamber, we want to reassure the business community that we have heard all of their views and we will continue to ensure they are represented when it comes to future events of any kind.

"As for the legacy of the UCI cycling, we remain optimistic for Harrogate. Visitors at the time were cycling enthusiasts who were not in town to spend money with our shops.

"The many millions around the world who saw Harrogate on television are much more important. We hope the result will be an uplift in visitor numbers over the coming years that will benefit the whole economy."

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What Cold Bath Brewing Co says

The heat over the UCIs may show little sign of cooling off but few are saying ‘never again.’ Jim Mossman of Cold Bath Brewing Co said the bar on Kings Road, which became a hub for the cycling world during the UCIs, had enjoyed great success after it “fully engaged with the event.”

Mr Mossman said: "At a local level Cold Bath Brewing had a terrific UCI and found the 10 days thoroughly enjoyable and successful. We fully engaged with the event and were fortunate enough to work with multiple global cycling brands 12 months ahead of the event itself in order to create a great environment in the Kings Quarter of the town.

"On a wider level and with direct feedback from visitors who plan to return to the town, our economy surely should reap the rewards of over 300 million people in over 120 countries tuning in to watch what was the UK’s biggest sporting event last year.

What Independent Harrogate says

Independent Harrogate's William Woods said: “No one is saying we don’t want big events to happen again in the town centre. But there needs to be more thinking about the effects on businesses.”

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