Bootham Park, 7 Nov 2015

This is important, and doesn’t seem to have got the interest it deserves. Following the closure of Bootham Park Hospital there’s a consultation on plans for a replacement facility. The deadline has been extended but it’s closing soon, 16 Jan.

There’s a question about the number of beds, but we’re focusing here on the other question, of location. It has one obvious answer: ‘Bootham Park’. Residents who need to access the hospital facilities and family and friends visiting them deserve a central and accessible location, not some place on the outskirts of town. Perhaps the existing building can’t be used, but there’s a large space next to it.

Consultation: developing a new mental health hospital for the Vale of York
consultation deadline extended to 16 January 2017

You can comment in several ways:

• Completing the form at the end of the consultation document (form is also on this link (PDF) and gives the basic questions (2 of them)
• Filling in this short survey — seems to be possible to skip questions and just fill in preferred location
• Emailing your comments to valeofyork.contactus@nhs.net

It might be easiest to email on valeofyork.contactus@nhs.net, stating support for Option 1: Bootham Park Hospital site, and giving reasons why. For example, as stated in the consultation document:

• It is close to the city centre amenities and has good transport links

• The site is adjacent to York District Hospital

• It is an established mental health site

• There are views of open spaces to the front and side of the building

The fact that the deadline has been extended from the original date of 16 December suggests that few people responded when it was first publicised. I must admit that I haven’t yet, feeling rather cynical about the whole thing after the way the closure of Bootham Park Hospital was handled. But then it’s not good if it looks like we don’t care, and it won’t take long to comment on the location question.

There’s some background information in the consultation document:

“The new hospital development will bring these services together on a single site, replacing Meadowfields, Worsley Court, Cherry Tree House and Peppermill Court. … a single site will also help us maintain safe staffing levels and provide easier access to cover and support in times of emergency or increased need. The unit will also contain the 136 assessment suite (place of safety) currently provided at Bootham Park Hospital (which will transfer to Peppermill Court) and the ECT suite, currently provided at York District Hospital.”
from the consultation document (PDF)

The same document also states that “Over recent years more and more people are able to receive the care and treatment they need at home and hospital admission is becoming the exception rather than the norm.” But clearly a mental health hospital is still needed and it should be on the large piece of land where it’s been since the late 18th century, close to the city centre.

Much more could be said, but because I’m looking after my own mental health and find that spending too long at computers isn’t good for either physical or mental health, I’ll just leave you with a comment left on one of the articles on the Press website, which I reckon sums things up well:

If there is one phrase that is banded about when something that is not in the public interest occurs it is “we should embrace the change”. No we should not, we should demand that we have what has been taken away from us, that is, a functioning mental health facility in the city centre.

— “X5019c”, comment on this story, 29 Sep 16

Here’s the info again:

Consultation: developing a new mental health hospital for the Vale of York

or email your comments to valeofyork.contactus@nhs.net

Deadline extended to 16 January 2017

Further information

Bootham Park: Hundreds to join demonstration in York, one year on (York Press)

These are the 3 possible locations for York’s mental health hospital (York Press)

I’ve written about Bootham Park several times before, view those pages on this link

I’ve also written about one of the proposed alternative sites, at Clifton Park

Defend our NHS York – all posts tagged Bootham Park Hospital

Poster from the ‘Walk Back to Bootham’ march, 30 Sept 2016

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An open door … Carecent, York (Photo: Nicky Gladstone)

Behind the impressive grand frontage of the Central Methodist church on St Saviourgate, down a passageway alongside it, is the entrance to Carecent:

a breakfast centre for all homeless, unemployed or otherwise socially excluded members of our community. We provide food, clothing and fellowship in a friendly and non-judgemental environment.
(Carecent website)

It depends entirely on donations — of food, clothing, volunteer time, and of course financial donations.

One person hoping to help raise money for Carecent is Desmond Wassell, who’s doing a fundraising bungee jump, taking place soon.

Here’s the link to the donation page.

I’m hoping that we can help Desmond reach his target. The jump takes place quite soon, on 2 October.

I’ve been wanting to publicise this since reading about Desmond’s story in the Press last month, how he’s turned his life around.

I had a couple of queries so contacted Nicky Gladstone at Carecent. She’s confirmed that the claim in the headline, ‘8 bottles of brandy a day’ was a misunderstanding/misquote, and that it should have read 8 bottles of sherry. Still quite a lot of alcohol, yes, but as Desmond’s fundraising page explains:

‘I’ve been an alcoholic for many years, and now I’m in recovery. Carecent has helped me tremendously when I was homeless, and now I’ve got somewhere to live I’d like to give something back.’

I met Desmond one evening in 2014, when walking through the market. I’d never met him before, didn’t know that he’d been dubbed an ‘an absolute blight to the city centre’ by the local police because of numerous incidents in the past. He seemed quite charming to me, on that occasion. Drunk and troubled, but basically a nice guy, stuck somewhere he didn’t want to be, looking for a way out.

So I was so pleased to read that he’d turned things around, got help, that Carecent, and other organisations, had helped him.

Carecent needs donations of food and clothing as well, so if you’re not able to donate financially perhaps have a look at the list of needs for autumn 2016 (PDF).

I can see, from my wanders over the years, and in particular in recent times, how York has become in many ways a gentrified and affluent place, with expensive bars and restaurants and with many residents and visitors wealthy enough to frequent them regularly. But also apparent, in stark contrast, is the growing number of people who seem to be struggling to survive, sleeping in doorways, numbing pain with alcohol, needing the kind of help that places like Carecent provide.

25 years ago when we set up Carecent we might have imagined we were providing something which would not be needed for too long. The opposite has proven to be the case.
– from a blog written in 2010

Carecent has been around for more than 30 years now, and seems to be needed as much as ever, maybe more than ever. So I hope, dear readers, you can help support it. Perhaps by supporting Des’s fundraising jump in recognition of his bravery and strength in turning his life around, and because it will also mean a lot to the people who helped him, and assist them in helping others in the future. (Because, as discussed on an earlier page ‘it’s all connected‘, we’re all connected.)

More information

Desmond Wassell’s fundraising page

The Carecent website, and on Twitter @Carecentyork

Their list of needs for autumn 2016 (PDF)

Several articles have appeared in the York Press over the years giving an insight into the valuable work at Carecent:

Volunteers at Carecent in York offering hot breakfasts to those who need them most (26 Mar 2010)

Carecent providing breakfast for homeless and disadvantaged in York (19 Sept 2012)

And from Nouse, the University of York publication: Feeding the community (25 Nov 2014)

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North Lodge: planning application

North Lodge, Clifton Park (former Clifton Hospital), 9 June 2016

Plans have been submitted to demolish the existing 19th century lodge building and replace it with residential accommodation. An application was submitted last year for the same, but then withdrawn in the face of many thoughtful and considered objections. At that point it seemed like things may be turning in favour of preserving the well-built heritage assets we already have even if they’re not listed buildings, as is the case here. But apparently not.

16/01173/FULM | Erection 3-storey building forming 14 flats following demolition of existing buildings (resubmission) | North Lodge Clifton Park Avenue York

St Peter’s boathouse and the river bank

16/01325/FUL | Demolition of boathouse and construction of replacement boathouse … extension of steps to river …

The boathouse, as you would expect, is near the River Ouse. Though the building is on the school’s own land, the plans also involve some changes to the riverbank. The proposal is to extend the existing concrete steps to what looks like three times the length of the existing steps. The plans also involve removing a few trees.

As always, this raises questions regarding who owns what. There’s a public right of way along the river bank, between the boat house and the riverside steps. I’m wondering though about the ownership of the riverbank itself, and the trees on it. The answer may be in the documents available online, but I haven’t the energy or time to go ploughing through them at present.

Trees again

Though the proposed felling of trees on Clifton Moor has resulted in a large number of objections, the planning access pages have details of many other proposals to fell trees, for a variety of reasons. As at Clifton Moor, a tree in the grounds of the Churchill Hotel on Bootham (pictured above) may be felled because the owners feel it blocks the view of the hotel from the road. It is their tree, in their grounds, but it is within a Conservation Area, hence the application for permission:

16/01393/TCA | Fell Holly tree in a Conservation Area | Churchill Hotel 65 Bootham York YO30 7DQ

Not far away from the Churchill Hotel there are also applications to fell trees on Bootham Terrace and in Clifton Dale, and of course many more in other areas of the city.

We have a duty of care to nesting birds through the nesting season, so I hope all this tree-felling, if approved, won’t be destroying any nests.

Meanwhile the council is considering its tree strategy, for the trees in its care.

And in other news

Former Corner House pub, Burton Stone Lane

A story in the Press this week about the closure and relocation of Heron Foods seems to confirm a rumour I’d heard that the new store will be in (or on the site of) the Corner House, on Burton Stone Lane. I wonder if they’ll use the existing building or clear the site and build a new store. We’ll have to watch this space.

On a cheery note …

In bloom, York central library (York Explore), 15 June 2016

On an evening wander earlier this week I noticed some rather splendid flowers in window boxes at the library. Poppies in a window box isn’t a common choice, though they are a common flower out in wilder places. The lobelia below them was browning a bit, and they’re perhaps a bit wild and scruffy for some people’s tastes, but they did look beautiful, in a rare burst of evening sun. So I thought I’d share them with you, dear readers, in an attempt to bring cheer after what has been a rather gloomy week.

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Members of Tang Hall Local History Group are interested in hearing from York men who were conscripted to National Service. They are preparing a questionnare, which can be obtained by emailing tanghallhistory@gmail.com or by telephoning Ralph Peacock on 01904 421656.

Missing bits: Scarcroft School

It’s a handsome building, isn’t it, Scarcroft School. I’ve taken a fair few photos of it over the years. Here’s one from 31 July 2007:

Scarcroft School, roof details, 31 July 2007

Apparently this photo records some architectural detail since lost. A reader emailed recently with the following observation/concern:

I wondered if I could highlight to you the changing face of Scarcroft School clock tower. Over the last few years the four finials appear to have disappeared. I imagine they were wooden and simply rotted to the point of becoming a danger to anyone walking underneath – not good in a school.
The architect was York’s WH Brierley and I reckon he (like me) would be disappointed if they’re never to be replaced.
It was listed Grade 2* in 1968 and I’m not sure what that means with regard to reinstating them but I imagine there’s a commitment to keeping the building as original as possible.

I hadn’t noticed this, but then I don’t pass this way very often. Perhaps York Civic Trust could help with the necessary restoration? Or do we just accept that details like this will rot and fall away?

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By the Ouse, 4 July 2007. I’ve been admiring the geese for some years now.

Honk, honk, honky tonk …

Geese, allegedly a problem, were discussed at yesterday’s City of York Council Executive meeting — this link to 49 mins in should take you directly to it. Some people see them as a problem and they appear to have complained regularly to their councillors, so as those elected members have to respond to that in some visible way, money is to be spent finding out where the geese nest, and counting them, and that kind of thing. A vociferous minority may favour more aggressive methods, so perhaps some of us might want to keep an eye on this and not get complacent. It’s my understanding that the majority don’t see the geese as a problem at all. But it was interesting to hear this issue being discussed.

Museum Gardens, free access

Also at the Executive meeting, councillor Andy D’Agorne raised a point I’d been wondering about in a page earlier this week, regarding the Museum Gardens and free public access to it, and whether the citizens of York (to whom it was ‘transferred’, decades back) would retain that right.

If legal agreements are being drawn up then these details matter. I hope that legal experts who are truly independent are scrutinising all of this, as the land and assets transferred to ‘the citizens’ are now part of a far more complex world, where local authorities no longer control and administer the city’s valuable assets in a straightforward and easily understandable way.

Cllr D’Agorne’s question is at 1 hr 38, approx: this link should take you to the relevant part of the webcast.

And bridges …

The York Press website has recently included some fascinating photo galleries, images from the paper’s archives on various themes. This week they’ve included a selection of photographs of bridges. More interesting than it sounds, as it includes several photos of bridges since removed or replaced, including the ‘glass bridge’ over the railway line between the football ground and the hospital which I know some readers remember, and the gasworks bridge over the Foss. View the photos on this link.

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Art gallery … inside and out

Helen Graham has written an interesting piece on ‘Rooted and democratic museums for York‘ on the proposed charges at the art gallery and museums, with suggestions for how things could be managed differently.

(The meeting to decide on the charges is on Wednesday. Details on the council’s website.)

There’s also an event taking place in Exhibition Square on Saturday (the day the art gallery is reopening) where we’re being encouraged to take along or create our own art. More information in the Press and on Facebook.

Here on this site (where you don’t have to wait for ads to load …): several pages on the art gallery, both now and in recent years.

A ‘takeover’ of the art gallery, on the open day in Feb 2013

White Swan redevelopment: new bar

Remember when the White Swan on Piccadilly was also called an ‘eyesore’? Not anymore. It’s all smart and gleaming and back in use. There’s a Sainsbury’s Local on the ground floor, and it looks like there’s soon to be a bar/restaurant next to that: ‘Green light given to plan for former White Swan Hotel‘, reports The Press. Some people may be eagerly awaiting this, others will think we have too many bars already, but personally I’m just pleased to see that the building is back in use and that in this case we’ve managed to retain and refurbish rather than demolish (as was suggested at one stage).

Here on York Stories we’ve many pages about the White Swan and its recent history.

In August 2004. Decorated windows from the ‘Rainbow Peace Hotel’ occupation in 2003

Pubs pubs pubs

On the subject of drinking establishments, but focusing on keeping old ones rather than bringing in new ones:

The Punch Bowl is now an Asset of Community Value (ACV). That gives it protection against sale or conversion to a retail unit by giving the local community a say in what happens to it.

— writes Nick Love in York Mix: Campaigners celebrate as York pub saved from the hands of the supermarkets.

There’s more on the Punch Bowl, Lowther Street, here on York Stories. And a fair few pages about other York pubs too.

Meanwhile the Corner House on Burton Stone Lane remains boarded-up.

Corner House, Burton Stone Lane, 24 May 2015

Further afield, I noticed an interesting article on the BBC website about a pub in Battersea that has been demolished and must now be rebuilt. It raises questions about whether a rebuilt building can ever be the same, and makes us think about hard-to-recreate details like the weathered and settled-looking pointing in the brickwork of older buildings … or perhaps that’s just me thinking about that, but anyway …

Reading that also led me on to an enlightening article on the Historic England website on the history of pubs, specifically it puts into context those big places built in the suburbs in the 20th century, of which York has many, though many have been demolished.

And on the subject of the demolition of 20th century buildings …

Demolition of Airspeed/Reynard’s garage building: application open for comment

The planning application for the demolition of the Airspeed/Reynard’s garage building is open for comment. It has been for some weeks but I wasn’t able to find it when I searched earlier on the council’s online system. But here it is. As you’ll see, there’s only one comment so far and that’s in support of demolition, so some readers might want to object instead.

More on that story later perhaps. For now, you might want to read one of the many many pages on the Airspeed/Reynard’s building here on this site.

Thanks to the people whose financial support powered recent pages.

Back in 2004, when not quite so derelict-looking

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