Council approves £660,000 funding for repairs to "poor condition" of Whitby’s main fishing area

North Yorkshire Council bosses approved the cash for repairs to the fish quay on the west side of the town’s outer harbour.

Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday, February 18, council leader Coun Carl Les said: “This is yet another investment this council is making in the coast.”

The Fish Quay, which is Whitby’s main fishing area, is where catches are landed and is home to the lobster hatchery.

However, the current condition of the Fish Quay is “poor and is, as a result, out of operational use,” councillors were told.

The works will see the replacement of 10 steel piles and oak fenders which will be delivered from a marine-based barge.

Repairing the fenders will bring 200m of mooring space back into use and assist in achieving harbour income targets, according to a report by officers.

Speaking at the meeting, Coun Mark Crane said: “Some work needs to be done on Whitby Fish Quay, it does need underpinning, and this is a very welcome sum of money to improve that.

The executive member for open to business added: “It’s a well-used quay by fishermen and tourists – whenever I go to Whitby I see any number of tourists throughout the year, so it is important for the fishermen and the fishing industry and I welcome this further investment in our coast.”

The £660,000 funding which was unanimously approved to fund the works, will come from an “in-year revenue underspend” in the authority’s environment directorate.

The quay is generally reserved for vessels landing fish products while other craft “may use the quay while waiting for a berth in the upper harbour”.