Time to reopen Museum Gardens

It is now over 3 months now since the York Museums Trust decided to close the Museum Gardens to the public.

Their caution was understandable at the beginning of the pandemic. No one knew what to expect or how long would pass before social distancing protocols would allow some resumption of movement.

Now the City centre is coming to terms with the health threat. Shops are reopening. People will be able to access churches. Some children have returned to school.

But people need pleasant, safe outdoor spaces in which to walk and sit. The Minster authorities acted promptly and reopened Dean’s park.

The Museum Gardens is ideally located. It offers a short cut from the shoppers car park at Marygate to the City’s retail centre.

Earlier today, visitors were incredulous when they found that the gardens gates were still locked.

That is not good enough.

The York Council and the Museums Trust should act and make sure that the park is reopened this week.

Deans Park reopens

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From 10am today Dean’s Park will reopen in the heart of York. Please respect the guidelines currently in place across the country, protect yourselves & others where possible, and enjoy your visit

The Park will remain open 10am-6pm 7 days a week.

For the health and safety of others, the Minster reminds all visitors that ball games, smoking and dogs are not permitted in the park

York Minster remains closed but it is broadcasting services via You Tube and Zoom.

There is pressure now for the remaining closed central area park – Museum Gardens – also to reopen.

Access to green spaces

It isn’t just cycle paths which have seen a major increase in use over the last few months.

Sometimes long forgotten Public Rights of Way have been rediscovered as residents have sought to heed government advice to exercise safely.

Nationally a campaign group has identified threats to many open spaces.

Sadly, in York, building work is underway on former sports fields at Lowfield and on Windmill Lane.  Several spaces in the green belt remain under threat.

The loss of this green space needs to be compensated for. It is important not only for peoples health but also to conserve natural fauna and flora.

The opportunities to create additional green spaces near the City centre are limited – although what is available could perhaps be better managed – but there are more options available between the City boundary and the ring road.

Local Councillors could lead the fight to improve the availability of both urban and county parks by identifying suitable areas which could be protected under “village green” legislation.

There are several opportunities on the west of the City where access could be sustained for people living in the Westfield, Dringhouses and Acomb wards. Some proactive  leadership is now required

Last year the York Council did say that they wanted to extend and add to the number of strays in the City. There has so far been little tangible progress to report on that promise.

York Bridge Club plans approved

Go ahead given for move to cricket ground near Acomb Green

The bridge clubs planning application to build a replacement HQ at the Acomb Sports and Social Club site has been approved.  The application was revealed in January when the club said that it needed to move from its present base in Holgate.

There are several conditions attached to the approval including a requirement for an electric vehicle charging point.

The hours of operation of the approved use will be confined to between 9am to 11pm Monday to Saturday and 11am to 8pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays

Full details of the restrictions can be viewed in the decision letter (click)

Many will welcome the provision of a new leisure facility in west York which has suffered a decline in the choices available during recent years.

The Acomb Cricket Club has also had something of a renaissance recently with the team being promoted to the top flight at the end of last season.

What’s on in York: Peterloo – the aftermath, York Lent Assizes, March 1820

York Explore
Monday March 16th
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm 
Free
Book tickets »
On March 16, 1820 the trial of ten of the leaders at Peterloo, charged with conspiracy to overturn the government, opened in York. The trial was nationally reported and the government’s position widely discredited.  In spite this, five were convicted … but of the lesser charge of seditious intent.

Inspired by family history, The Road to Peterloo is about a Britain where the 1815 Peace has rewarded the few but penalised the many, where workers are drawn into mass protest meetings and soldiers, billeted in London to prevent revolution, become caught up in a secretive world of plots and spies.

Join local author, Jacqueline Everett, to discuss the historical background to the Peterloo massacre of August 16, 1820 and its aftermath, and hear readings from her novel The Road to Peterloo.

What’s on in York: Strong Yorkshire Women – Taking risks, standing strong

York Explore
Sunday March 15th
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Book tickets »

Join us in York International Women’s Week to celebrate the lives of four strong Yorkshire women.

An afternoon spent celebrating the lives of four Yorkshire women who lived life to the full, taking risks and standing their ground; introduced by their biographers, editors, or themselves. Wendy Rayne-Davis will talk about Saint Margaret Clitherow, Pauline Kirk will discuss the life and work of Rita Jerram, Children’s Rights activist and Githa Sowerby biographer Patricia Riley will talk about her own work, and about Leeds suffragist Isabella Ford who helped found the Independent Labour Party. The event will include short readings and the books will be available to purchase at a discount only at this event.

Theatre Royal £500,000 Council grant decision next week – still few details available

The York Council is expected next week to confirm an additional grant of £1/2 million to the Theatre Royal.

The plan – which will be classified as “capital expenditure” and will increase the Councils already large capital debt – was revealed during the recent budget debate.

The report to the decision meeting which take place on 16th March is unsatisfactory in several respects. It fails to include essential information about the Theatres financial performance.

As a minimum the 2018/19 outturn, the 2019/20 and the (draft) 2020/21 budget should be made public. At the moment taxpayers have no idea whether the Theatre is profitable or not (probably not!).

There is no detail of the Theatres medium term business plans. There is no comment from the York Councillors (Crawshaw, Daubeney, Mason) who are supposed to look after the Council and residents’ financial interests on the Theatre Board

In 2015 the Council decided to sell the Theatre Royal building to the York Conservation Trust for £1. The Trust is a benign body which agree to make a major investment in essential repairs. The Council said that it planned to stop its annual support grant to the Theatre but instead agreed to make a contribution of £770,000 towards a £4.1 million restoration project. This project was intended to make the Theatre self-supporting.  The Council’s responsible executive member told the York Press in February 2016 “This funding agreement will strengthen York Theatre Royal’s sustainability for the future”

Theatre Royal refurbishment 2016

The refurbishment overran its timescale and the Theatre was effectively closed for nearly a year.

The most worrying aspect of the new deal is the decision to borrow money to fund it. The Council report says that the £500,000 borrowing will cost taxpayers “£35,000 a year” in interest charges and principal repayments. Only if the Council borrows the money over a 20 year term. Some of the proposed expenditure (IT, box office software) will be on items with an expected lifetime of less than 7 years. Borrowing money over a period longer than the life of an asset would be financial madness.

A more realistic borrowing time-frame would be 10 years, meaning taxpayers would be committed to ongoing payments of around £65,000 a year. 

NB The Council aggregates all its borrowing requirements and currently enjoys interest payments on its borrowings of less than 5%

Then there is the question of whether more investment will be sought in 4 years time?

The Council should not agree the expenditure without publishing a lot more information about the financial trajectory for the Theatre.

In the event of it ceasing trading, most of the taxpayer investment would be unrecoverable.

The demise of the Rose Theatre last year has already left the York taxpayer with a £40,000 plus bill.

It could be viewed by the Council as a timely warning about the need for prudent and well informed decisions.

What’s on in York: Finding the Words – Poetry from Harry Gallagher, p.a.morbid and Susan Székely

York Explore
Thursday February 27th @ 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm £5
Book tickets »

Harry Gallagher is widely published, both in the UK and overseas. His latest pamphlet ‘English Jack’ – a hard-hitting series of poems on where England now finds itself as a nation – has just been released through Black Light Engine Room Press. He was the 2019 BBC Tees poet for National Poetry Day and he runs the north east stanza of the Poetry Society.”

p.a. morbid runs The Black Light Engine Room Press. Middlesbrough poet, historian & outsider artist.

Susan Székely has been writing poetry for over 20 years. She has been a runner-up in BBC Wildlife Magazine’s poetry competition, a finalist in the Borderlines Festival, and has been listed in competitions for Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival, Wolverhampton Literature Festival, Ilkley Literature Festival and The Plough Prize. She has been published in Iota, Other Poetry and more recently in Strix. Susan loves reading poetry and the opportunities to learn more, regularly attending workshops, and is an enthusiastic member of the Leeds Stanza poetry group. She is working at putting together a first pamphlet.

Finding the Words is our monthly poetry evening featuring poets from Yorkshire and beyond. Discover new poetry in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. Bar available. Booking advised.

Details
Date: February 27
Time: 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm
Cost: £5