North Yorkshire Council Apologises for Communication Breakdowns Over Whitby Big Wheel Installation

North Yorkshire Council has issued an apology following widespread concerns over the lack of communication surrounding the recent installation of a temporary sightseeing wheel on Whitby's West Cliff.

The big wheel, located on the green space behind the Whalebone Arch on West Cliff, is scheduled to operate from Wednesday 9 July until Monday 4 August. Town councillors say they learnt about the Wheel's arrival from a Facebook post while a number of local businesses said they were unaware that the wheel was coming.

Whitby Town Council expressed "total outrage" over the unannounced appearance of the large wheel, asserting that neither they nor local businesses were consulted beforehand. Councillors described the situation as "absolutely disgraceful" and called for a "strong letter of protest to North Yorkshire Council".

North Yorkshire Council has acknowledged that it "could have done better in communicating it before it arrived".

In an interview with This is the Coast, Councillor Mark Crane, the executive member for open to business for North Yorkshire Council, said the Wheel's installation in Whitby is the latest in a county wide "tour" by the wheel and admitted that the communication around it's arrival could have been better.

"The Big wheel is not owned by the council, but we work with the person who does own it, and we've sited it in  four or five locations across North Yorkshire over the last year.

It's been in Harrogate, it's been in Ripon, and now it's in Whitby. 

I think, if I'm honest with you, we could have done better in communicating it before it arrived. We did speak to some of the businesses and we also spoke to the two members of the [North Yorkshire] council in Whitby and discussed with them about the sighting of it. And my understanding is that both of those did some consultation with the community.

I think it's regretful that we didn't speak to the town council, and we have apologized for that. I'm happy to do that on air, but I really do think it's a positive for Whitby itself.

The feedback we've had from the people visiting the wheel so far, is that it's a popular place to go. The views are apparently spectacular. I'm certainly going to go myself and go on the wheel to have a look because there's a vast view across Whitby and obviously out into the sea. "

Whitby Town Council had heard of concerns about the impact on local trade and the financial implications. Town Councillor Amanda Smith stated that the big wheel is "affecting local businesses" and that money is being "taken out of this town," the town council heard concerns that Whitby businesses were "being short-changed" by the arrival of the wheel and it's associated concessions, but Councillor Mark Crane doesn't think that's the case.

"I don't think that's universally the opinion from local businesses.

We went out yesterday and spoke to some local businesses and those that are in the immediate vicinity of the wheel have seen a fairly significant upturn in their takings in the short time that the wheel's been there so far and they welcome it.

And the only offer at the wheel of food is for churros, which I don't think directly conflicts with anybody that's that close to the wheel."

North Yorkshire Council maintains that the wheel is not primarily a "money-making exercise for the council," though they do receive a fee for its siting. Mark Crane says the council views the attraction as a way of "encouraging tourists to Whitby" and encouraging visitors to "spend longer" in the town, contributing to the region's £4 billion annual tourist economy.

"It's not really a money making exercise for the council. We do receive something for it. It will not change our financial position this year. And the money for going onto the wheel goes to the person who owns the wheel, but I understand they pay us a fee to site it in the location that is presently sited in and indeed was a case in the other locations that it has been sited in.

So it's not about making money for the council, it genuinely is about encouraging tourists to Whitby and encouraging people to spend longer than they already do in Whitby and enjoy the wheel and the views that it gives. "

The big wheel is scheduled to operate from Wednesday 9 July until Monday 4 August. North Yorkshire Council confirmed that it "will not be happening" for a longer period due to "planning constraints,"

"That will not be happening because planning constraints are such that we can only site it for 28 days or have it open for 28 days at that place.

So we would need a permanent planning permission to do otherwise, and it is our intention to work with the owner of the wheel to put it into other locations across North Yorkshire to encourage tourism in those places so we won't see it there for a lengthy period of time.

Could it come back to Whitby in the future? Absolutely. I hope that's the case.

If and when it does, we will work with the town council to find a suitable location and obviously we'll continue to work with local businesses so that they get a benefit from it. Not any deficiency from it. "