Council should 'invest in lift', not get rid of it

THE MP for Scarborough and Whitby has urged the council to invest in the “golden tourism goose” of Whitby amid plans to permanently close the town’s Cliff Lift.

- By ANTTONI JAMES NUMMINEN Local democracy reporter

Whitby Cliff Lift

A local demonstration against plans to permanently close Whitby Cliff Lift was held at the lift on Thursday, with around 70 people in attendance.

Dozens of people turned out despite the heavy rain and strong wind to make clear their opposition to the scheme which has been recommended for approval by North Yorkshire Council next month.

The lift on Whitby’s North Terrace, which opened in 1931, has been out of service since 2022 due to corrosion and water ingress, with repair costs estimated at £5.5m.

Whitby Community Network, an organiser of the demonstration, highlighted the “critical importance” of the lift to residents: “Setting aside the fact that the Cliff Lift building is actually a non-designated heritage asset and so should be proportioned a level of protection, it has a critical importance.

“That is, providing access to Whitby sea wall to the many elderly and disabled people who either live in the town or visit - the town has