Latest news with #SimonMyers
BBC News
30-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Richmond swimming pool: council urges public to have their say
Members of the public are being invited to have their say on the future of a council-owned leisure centre, after a partial ceiling collapse resulted in the closure of its swimming Swimming Pool has been shut since April, after further investigations discovered "historic issues" with the building infrastructure, which require extensive repair Yorkshire Council, which acquired management of the complex from Richmond Leisure Trust, is now inviting the local community to share their views on what to do with the Simon Myers said the council "want to make sure that we gather as many views as possible from the public to help make an informed decision". "All options are being considered and no decision has been taken, so I would urge anyone who would like to express their views to take part in the survey," he council said, in addition to the essential repairs required, other areas of the leisure centre have been deemed to be in urgent need of improvement, including replacing key pieces of options for the site include:Undertaking only the essential works neededUndertaking essential work as well as some improvements, such as to changing roomsRe-thinking which leisure services are offered at the siteProposed alternative uses for the siteClosing the centreThe council is expected to discuss the survey responses this autumn, and has said any decision it makes on the Richmond site will be taken "in the context of the wider work for the countywide leisure investment strategy".Myers added: "The closure of the swimming pools is disappointing news for customers, the local community - and for us as well - and we apologise for the ongoing disruption, and thank them for their patience." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Scarborough Athletic: Council could pay £3m for pitch repairs
Repairs to Scarborough Athletic's football pitch which were expected to cost millions of pounds would be paid by North Yorkshire Council if talks with the original contractor broke down, the authority has confirmed.A recent survey identified "serious structural issues'" at the council-owned Scarborough Sports Village, including a defective drainage system installed when the facility was first a result, home games at the start of the new season were due to be played at Bridlington Town's ground 17 miles (27km) away .At a meeting on Tuesday, councillors were told the authority was committed to the long-term future of the community football pitch and to finding a timely solution. A meeting of North Yorkshire Council's executive heard repairs at the ground could cost up to £3.2m, although it was hoped that the actual figure would be smaller, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Councillor Simon Myers, executive member for culture, arts, and housing, told the meeting: "Not only do we want to put it right, we want it done as soon as possible for the club and the fans. That is our commitment."The meeting was told that the council had agreed a "backstop" position where, in the event that negotiations with the contractor did not produce an early solution, the authority would ultimately undertake work to repair and resurface the told the meeting that those negotiations were currently at a "crunch point" and "we should know where we're going in the next week or so". 'Still have concerns' The plan for the backstop was unanimously approved by the executive committee, but concerns were raised about its financing, as well as the cause of the instability in the original pitch development agreement was with Wrenbridge, subcontracted to Wilmott Dixon and other told councillors that the pitch "should have had a lifespan of 10 years, but it turned out it was not adequate for use by Scarborough Athletic Football Club and an investigation found there were major faults when it was originally built".He told councillors: "Do not fear that we won't hesitate to pursue all appropriate legal remedies" regarding the original work that was done on the to the quality of the pitch would enable Scarborough Athletic to maintain its current level of play, the meeting that would result in reduced community use, from about 20 hours to less than 40 hours previously, members were Dixon has yet to respond to BBC requests for comment. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
North Yorkshire libraries launch dementia memory bag service
People living with dementia and their families can now borrow a "memory bag" from libraries in North Yorkshire. The new scheme aims to unlock memories by providing books and activities, from fidget toys to sensory items, to help promote conversations between people with memory loss as well as their family and such as old sports programmes and seaside posters are included, as well as gardening gloves, bean bags and a gym service manager with Dementia Forward, Claire Burke, said: "They will prompt memories that can unlock conversation and bring stories to life." Library users can also take away items including hidden disability lanyards and a copy of the "blue book", which contains a summary of support and activities for people living with UK said that 26,233 people who are over the age of 65 are living with dementia across North Yorkshire and the Simon Myers, the council's executive member for libraries, said: "The initiative aims to support people with memory loss and their families, and enable them to discover ways to create new memories and protect old ones."The resources included in the memory bags will provide talking points and encourage more people to see what their local library has to offer."Bags can be reserved free of charge and be borrowed from North Yorkshire libraries for up to three weeks. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Richmond pool closure 'having a catastrophic impact' says club
Pool closures 'having catastrophic impact' - club 7 minutes ago Share Save Fiona Callow BBC News, Yorkshire Share Save Richmondshire Leisure Trust Both pools at Richmond Swimming Pool have been shut until further notice Pool closures in a North Yorkshire town are having "a catastrophic impact" on swimmers, a club has said. The two pools at Richmond Swimming Pool have been shut since April after part of the ceiling collapsed. It has meant that swimmers from Richmond Dales Amateur Swimming Club are missing out on "vital training time" ahead of a competitive season, said head coach Gordon Rea. Councillor Simon Myers, North Yorkshire Council's executive member for leisure, warned that repair work could run into summer but were essential to provide "a safe and reliable facility". Mr Rea said: "The top swimmers train 16 hours a week in the pool and now they've lost up to 75% of their training time in a particularly unforgiving sport. "It takes a lot to get that level of fitness back when you're not able to consistently train." 'No magic solution' Mr Rea said the club was having to find alternative venues at short notice, preventing it from being able to book the amount of time needed for a typical training session. "We've been offered an hour here and there but it's not amounting to anything like what we've lost. "There's no magic solution. Obviously the sooner the better, but it's going to be a big job if they have to replace the ceiling." Myers said that possible solutions were being considered to deal with the issues. "To help our customers stay active and maintain their well-being, we are looking into how we can offer them the use of our pools in neighbouring areas," he said. "We apologise for the disruption this will cause and would like to thank our customers for their continued support and understanding during this time." The café and the gym remain open but a date has not yet been set for the reopening of the pools. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Maritime magic in store for two-day Whitby Fish and Ships Festival
Maritime magic in store for two-day Whitby Fish and Ships Festival Whitby's annual Fish and Ships Festival will return from Saturday, May 17 to Sunday, May 18 (Image: Supplied) A festival honouring Whitby's fishing heritage is set to take place once again. The annual Fish and Ships Festival, scheduled to take place over the weekend of Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18, will be hosted in the Whitby Marina Front car park. A range of entertainment will be on offer, including cooking and fish-craft demonstrations by local chefs; maritime-themed arts and crafts; and a programme of live music. New for 2025, there will also be a Fisherman's Olympics, which will see members of local fishing crews compete in such challenges as splicing rope, stacking pots, and tug-o-war. North Yorkshire Council's executive member for culture and arts, councillor Simon Myers, said: "The Fish and Ships Festival is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the town's history and traditions." More information about the Fish and Ships Festival is available online at
