Spa frown...anger over Harrogate’s fake grass
EXCLUSIVE
COUNCIL chiefs are under fire after ripping up flowers from a town centre and replacing them with fake grass.
Harrogate Borough Council has been bombarded with complaints after the “cheap and tacky” green carpet left locals outraged.
The North Yorkshire spa town has been named best small city/large town in the Britain in Bloom competition nine times and was handed a gold award most recently in 2019.
Now residents say the town “laughing stock”.
Businessman Bob Kennedy said on social media: “Harrogate has thrived for the best part of a century as a fantastic floral spa town.
“However, fantastic floral spa towns do not have fake grass in their flower beds. They look horrendous. Whoever is
amakes these decisions should take a long, hard look at themselves.” Joan Hill said: “The council should hang their heads in shame. They look like badly fitted wigs. They have made our famed floral town a laughing stock.”
Henry Pankhurst, who represents Harrogate Civic Society on planning issues, said: “I would like to see it taken away. It is not an enhancement for the street conservation area.”
Harrogate Business Improvement District, which works to increase footfall in the town centre, distanced itself from the council’s decision.
Chairwoman Sara Ferguson said: “We want to make it clear that the fake grass being planted around town centre trees is nothing to do with Harrogate BID. We have spent a considerable scene and the amount of money installing barrier baskets, placing planters outside town centre businesses and arranging for hanging baskets to be displayed outside shops – all done to help build on Harrogate’s reputation as a floral town, and to make the town centre as attractive as possible.”
The council declined to reveal the cost of the scheme but a spokesman insisted the move had received “lots of positive feedback”.
He added: “We are testing ways of brightening up Harrogate town centre.
“The trees mean any plants in the beds struggle for light and moisture, so we’re looking at potential ways of keeping the beds neat and tidy without plants in them.
“When summer bedding plants become available, we will place additional planters and hanging baskets in the town centre.”