The future of Whitby's historic cliff lift has been cast into further uncertainty as local councillors voice serious concerns that the financial data being used to justify its permanent closure "don't stand up to scrutiny."
While North Yorkshire Council officers have recommended decommissioning the 95-year-old asset, local representatives argue the decision is being built upon outdated and unsubstantiated "fantasy figures" inherited from the former Scarborough Borough Council.
The lift, a vital link between North Terrace and West Cliff Beach since 1931, has been out of operation since April 2022 following the discovery of corrosion. A report headed to the Council’s Executive on 17 March suggests that while basic repairs might cost around £489,000, addressing major water ingress could see the total bill spiral to over £5.5 million.
However, Whitby Councillor Neil Swannick has lead the charge in questioning the validity of these multimillion-pound estimates. Challenging the transparency of the current projections, Councillor Swannick stated:
"The figure of 5 million to restore the lift to working order and deal with what was perceived to be a problem with ingress into the shaft was I think a fantasy figure which was plucked out of a hat and I don't actually think that that could be substantiated.
There's something wrong with those figures and I think the sooner the council accepts that those figures that were compiled by Scarborough Borough Council now nearly 10 years ago need to be just thrown away and start again the better.
I think that what needs to be done now is another survey that actually looks at the possibility of bringing the cliff back into use, dealing with the mechanical aspects and not only that, but to look at a business plan for how going forward the cliff lift actually pays its way."
The councillor further suggested that reliance on old data, which focused on the "worst case scenario," is an insufficient basis for such a significant decision. He added:
"I think the officers need to provide the executive with some rather better figures than they've done in the past because I think working on figures from nearly 10 years ago prepared by Scarborough Borough Council by a company that was asked to look at the worst case scenario is really not good enough and I don't think we can give any credence to this half a million figure or 600,000 figure that is being suggested might be necessary to bring them into service."
Echoing these concerns, Councillor David Chance highlighted the cultural and economic weight of the lift to the Yorkshire Coast. He alleged that the high costs previously quoted were a tactical move by the former local authority to avoid taking action. Councillor Chance said:
"Given the importance of the cliff lift to local residents and the economy of Whitby, I can't support its closure and I've said that right from the start.
I think the £5 million was a figure that was plucked out of the air to justify inaction by Scarborough Borough Council. I've always believed that and the closure of Cliff Lift at the time we were told it was going to be closed for a year and it's just gone on and on and it's been neglected for many years.
I think that was the aim of Scarborough Borough Council at that time to kick it down the road."
The debate also centres on the historic management of the structure. Councillor Phil Trumper, who has actively campaigned to save the lift through a petition that garnered over 5,600 signatures, pointed towards a lack of preventative care in previous years. He remarked:
"I think it is important if a decision is to repair the lift that a proper maintenance plan is put in place. I think this is where what has happened in the past and our maintenance just wasn't carried out under the ownership of SBC and they just basically let us down.
I think an up to date survey is so important and a proper maintenance plan. If the position is to repair then we need to make sure that it doesn't end up in this state again."
On the other side of the ledger, Council officers maintain that the potential financial risks are too great to ignore. Chris Bourne, the Council’s Head of Harbours, admitted that while new quotes have not been sought, the existing data provides a clear warning of the project's scale. He explained:
"The council has not had any recent quotes for the repair of the lift. However, the quotes from 2020 show the huge financial scale of the potential problem and the costs are not expected to decrease since 2020."
The official report notes that although recent inspections by mining company Anglo American suggested the shaft appeared relatively dry, moisture and water ingress remain the "major risk." Officers argue that in a "challenging financial environment," the cost of full waterproofing—estimated at up to £4.9 million—is "disproportionate" to the service the lift provides.
Adding to the local impact, the Council is also recommending the discontinuation of the free replacement bus service, which cost over £52,000 to run in 2025 but saw a significant drop in passenger numbers.
The Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee has recently resolved to request that the Executive look again at the lift, urging for an up-to-date survey and a robust business case before any final decision on decommissioning is made. For the residents and visitors of Whitby, the wait for a definitive answer on this beloved heritage asset continues.
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