Autumn 2000 Newsletter

Wetherby Civic Society Autumn Newsletter October 2000

Millennial Miscellany Adrian White

It is my pleasure to introduce the developments within the town’s them of the work of other Civic reports from the various working conservation area, not least those Societies across the country. groups of Civic on the sites of the Rendezvous Society covering their work over Café and La Locanda Restaurant. Although this has been my first the last year. This has been an The outcomes of some of these year as chairman, I have, after important period in the proposals are still in doubt and careful thought, decided not to development of the Society you can be confident that the put my name forward for re- chiefly for its involvement in the vigilance of the members of this election either as chairman or as a production of the millennium committee will continue to alert member of the committee. After video. The production was the Society to take action as 15 years as head of Wetherby financed by the Wetherby necessary. I should like to thank High School, I find that in my Historical Trust but I should like all the members of this important retirement I no longer enjoy the to congratulate our members Len group for their work and public spotlight and the formal Lurcuck, Jim Lodge and David especially Chris Shaw, and her meetings that form part of the Shaw on their achievement that successor Mike Welby, in work of any society. My has rightly gained great praise scrutinising the planning membership of the Society will from all those who have seen it. applications as they are published continue however, and I have Sales have been good and I am by the City Council. offered to help with liaison sure that this video will continue between the Society and the to mean a great deal to all those The social side of our Society has town’s schools if required. with any interest in the town for been extremely successful this many years to come. year and for this we must thank It only remains for me to thank Lis Stretton for her considerable you all for your support of I am sorry to report the retirement efforts on all our behalf. The talk Wetherby Civic Society and wish of Charles Martin from the Tree and the visits have all been well my successor and all members of Committee of the Society. Under attended and I am sure that you the committee every success in his stewardship nearly 300 trees have enjoyed them as much as I the future. have been planted. He has coped did. The plans for next year are manfully with the aftermath of already well advanced. vandalism (thankfully limited) and flooding. We all wish The Society has been delighted to A.G.M. Charles well in the future and help with several of the many thank him for his considerable groups active within the town. work for the Society which he did We were delighted to note the At 7.00pm Monday in addition to his commitments to continuing success of Wetherby very many other organisations. in Bloom to which, as in previous November 6 th , 2000 years, the Society made a small The Planning, Policy and contribution. Its members are to Programme Working Party have be congratulated for making the Jarvis Hotel, Wetherby had a very busy year, as you will town a better place in which to note from Ron Aitken’s excellent live and work. We were also Followed by the first report. I am grateful for the work pleased to make a contribution to public screening of video done by members of this group in the Bandstand that has taken interviews monitoring planning applications shape on the riverbank thanks to and responding, as necessary, the the sterling efforts of the Weir various planning committees in Preservation Trust. The Society The Way We Were Wetherby and . This year continues to be a member of the has seen several important, and Civic Trust nationally and controversial, proposals for receives useful information from 1 Autumn 2000 Newsletter

Planning, Policy & Programme Working Party Ron Aitken

Planning Applications Spofforth Hill : The Society Implementation of some of the The working party has had the vigorously opposed the plans agreed with Leeds City usual busy year reviewing all application for a further 82 Council remains painfully slow planning applications for houses in this over-developed and piecemeal. Nevertheless, Wetherby. Comments and area. It was also concerned that pavement renovation in the town representations have been made the development would result in a centre has now been completed. to the Town Council and Leeds loss of green space on the edge of The Highways Authority has City Council planners as well as the town as well as putting been pressed to implement to developers, for example: additional pressure on town without delay the long awaited centre amenities. The heavy lorry ban thus reducing Proposed new restaurant on the application has been deferred for noise, pollution and congestion former Rendezvous Café site : the time being. throughout the town. Car parks What is a suitable commercial have been tidied-up, new bays development on such a sensitive Unitary Development Plan marked out but overall parking site was always likely to cause remains limited. Street controversy within the town. During the late summer Leeds lighting replacement continues The Society hopes that its City Council published its almost unnoticed on an as and detailed discussions with the modified Unitary Development when basis but street signing architect and subsequent strong Plan. One of the changes from remains unimproved. recommendations regarding the the original plan is the decision to size of the building, site access, remove Crossley Park from the The build up of litter in the town type of materials and loss of Green belt. Crossley Park is centre particularly on weekend green space will be reflected in the woodland area beside Linton mornings is of great concern to the finished building which was Road between La Locanda and the Society. The local given the go ahead by Leeds City the entrance to the Scaur Bank authorities assure us that they Planners towards the end of playing fields. Although it have in place a street-cleaning September. remains within the town centre programme at weekends but even conservation area it will no so the problem does not seem Supermarket Proposals : The longer enjoy the protection from amenable to improvement. The Society has been part of the new development which Green Society is grateful that so many consultative process involving all Belt status confers. The Society of the occupiers of commercial recent proposals. As members is opposed to this decision and premises in the town centre do will be aware the planners gave will be making representations to what they can to tidy up the area the go ahead for the proposal put to re-instate near their businesses. The forward for the Horsefair Centre Crossley Park as part of the Society will continue to press for but detailed plans have not yet Green Belt. more effective action. been published. Conservation Area As for the future – relations are Proposed housing development at developing with other Societies La Locanda: Having Other matters coming within the in Yorkshire. New places of commented on aspects of a remit of the Working Party have interest are being revealed for proposed development the included worries voiced to the exploration and planners and Society was given the Town Council over the delay in architects are trying to improve opportunity to discuss with the opening up for public use the our taste and minds. The architect revised plans which restored Bathhouse and grounds Society is reviewing progress to took into account the Society’s at Wharfedale Lawn. The ensure a broader appeal to reservations about encroachment Society was also concerned to younger people and the more on the present Green Belt. The learn that the interior of the mature outcome of the application is not Bathhouse is showing signs of yet settled. deterioration due to damp.

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Social Programme – Derek Gulland.

With thanks to Lis Stretton, our Bringing it back to its former Bradford Industrial Museum social programme has been as glory has involved considerable varied and as interesting a usual. expenditure on reproducing or Our final visit was to Bradford Attendances have been excellent acquiring furniture and Industrial Museum which gave us with an average turnout of 50 furnishings of the time when the the opportunity to experience, members including a full house at house was built or which could albeit at second hand, an the Jarvis Hotel to start off the have been in the house during its industrial society which has now new season. earlier ownership. all but disappeared. The museum is sited in an old worsted Even if it was a cold rainy During the 1939- 45 war the spinning mill and contains textile evening 50 members were house was the HQ of bomber machinery and mill engines in entertained at the Jarvis Hotel by groups of the Royal Canadian Air use from the early nineteenth Anne Bachelor’s warm-hearted Force and a small but interesting century to the mid twentieth account to trace the early history museum brought back memories century. On the site are of her mother and uncle who, to many of our older members reconstructions of back to back when their coal miner father was visiting the house. workers’ cottages representative widowed, were separated and of three different decades within placed in different children’s Sutton Park that period as well as the homes many miles apart. To manager’s house furnished as it some of us it must have come as Sutton Park’s austere Georgian might have been at different a surprise that this was a common proportions are a complete times during the mill’s working practice not so very long ago. contrast to the gothic grandeur of life. We were able to see Her story of their attempts to be Allerton Park. But it does have worsted spinning machinery in re-united illustrated how attitudes something in common with operation as well as working mill have changed over the Allerton Park since what we see engines brought together from all intervening years. today is the result of nearly 40 over the old West Riding and to years of work by new owners experience the unique smell of an There were three visits during the restoring and refurnishing the old mill – a blend of lanolin and summer to three very different house and gardens. engine oil – part of the very venues. fabric of the building. LEAFLETS AVAILABLE Allerton Park FROM THE SECRETARY The museum also contains a small display of motor vehicles Allerton Park just off the Great manufactured in the West Riding WETHERBY TRAIL (25P) th North Road at the York Discover the secrets of the in the early 20 century as well as /Harrogate junction demonstrated town centre an interesting collection of ship what one man’s single-minded models. vision may achieve in renovating CONSERVATION AREA and restoring an old building. GUIDE (Free) Allerton Park is a nineteenth A must if you live or work in century country house which had the Conservation Area been allowed to fall into decay.

Our visit there concluded with a buffet upper which complimented the many fine treasures we had seen in the house.

Tree Working Party Charles Martin

Tree planting has been limited would greatly improve the visual unsold at present. There is a over the past year because of lack impact of this area. constant demand for memorial of suitable public spaces. This Memorial trees trees restricted only by the is especially the case near the availability of land. town centre, which is sparse in Seven memorial trees were greenery. Should the Market planted on Wetherby Ings by the Place be pedestrianised some tree footbridge. These trees were Wetherby Ings – Scaur Bank planting may be possible, which paid for by private donation. One tree, valued at £60, remains 3 Autumn 2000 Newsletter

During the year, Leeds City Council planted four of the These need to be replaced, as Amenity Planting promised fifteen trees. It is promised out of Civic Society funds. The Society is, therefore, Over the past six years 132 trees hoped that the authority will committed to replace four trees in have been planted in Wetherby eventually fulfil its promise and total. As cattle protection already schools with the support of the plant the outstanding eleven trees. exists for three of these trees, the Society. Other sites where trees cost should be around £25 per have been planted are the A replacement tree was planted in tree with the fourth costing Wilderness Car Park, the the lime avenue but was around £60. Cemetery, Crossley Park, and the vandalised. This tree need to Adult Training Centre. The be replaced and a further tree Raby Park Society is always willing to planted to complete the avenue consider any area available to the once more. A request for a memorial tree to public where its assistance with be planted in Raby Park is under tree planting would be Replacement Trees consideration by the Town appreciated. Council. The delay in approval is A memorial tree planted in Raby due to lack of knowledge of the Park two years ago and one of the drainage system under the park memorial trees planted on the which is being researched. Ings this year have died.

Patron: Canon W W Powell Corporate member: Collingham Catering Sales

WETHERBY CIVIC SOCIETY Registered Charity Number: 1039127 A Member of the Civic Trust

www.wetherby-civic-society.freeserve.uk

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