SCARBOROUGH traders have formally objected to plans to move up to 340 town hall staff to new out-of-town offices.
The town’s Chamber Of Trade is opposing plans by Scarborough Borough Council to relocate services from its existing headquarters to the former Skipton Building Society offices in the Futurist area.
In its letter of objection, Chamber chairman Chris Golder writes: “Scarborough needs to maintain a busy, vibrant town centre for the benefit of both our local population and our visitors. It is the Chamber’s firm belief that if the town hall staff are moved to an out-of-town location it will suck the life out of the town centre to the massive detriment of Scarborough.”
The chamber accepted that Scarborough town hall needed “significant investment”.
But it believed the new location would also need “significant investment”, that the move would move the local seat of democracy to a less accessible place and that it would deprive town centre shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes of trade from officers and visiting dignitaries and borough council staff.
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