'We've been forgotten about' say Scarborough cliff lift staff
Staff working on Britain’s oldest cliff lift have said they feel “sad and unvalued” and that they have been “forgotten about” after the funicular in Scarborough was shut down over safety concerns last month.
Scarborough’s Victorian Spa Cliff Lift was shut down by the council in August after engineers identified “a number of issues” - and residents and councillors have demanded answers about the future of the town’s “jewel in the crown”.
Residents and visitors have said the “lifeline” cliff lift needs to be reopened as Scarborough continues to celebrate its 400th anniversary as the original seaside resort.
However, a staff member who was working on the lift the day it was shut down has said she and colleagues feel “forgotten about” by North Yorkshire Council – which operates the historic lift – and revealed that one staff member has already resigned.
Claire Wynne-Riley, who has worked on the Spa Cliff Lift for about three years, said: “We all love working on the lift.
“It’s the people and the service we deliver, and just to leave us high and dry, it’s quite a sad situation to be in, really.
"You don’t feel valued.”
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that “because we are on zero-hours contracts and the uncertainty, there may be no staff left when the lift reopens”.
At a meeting of Scarborough Town Council on Tuesday, members resolved to write to North Yorkshire Council requesting that it urgently set out a timeline for its reopening.
Coun Rich Maw, a town councillor who is also a member of North Yorkshire Council, told the meeting: “Officers have said they may be able to reopen the lift in a phased way.
“They’re exploring those options, and obviously it’s paramount that safety has to come first.”
However, Ms Wynne-Riley, who said she has effectively been made unemployed following the Spa Cliff Lift’s closure, described having heard “absolutely nothing from anybody” and added “we’ve just been forgotten about”.
Speaking to the LDRS, the “loyal employee” said she and other staff had been “left in limbo” by North Yorkshire Council (NYC) and that she has raised an HR complaint with the authority.
She added: “It’s not just a case of looking after the asset; you need to look after the staff on the asset because that is really important.
“We’ve got the knowledge and the experience; we have a member of staff that’s been here 27 years.”
Thomas Murray, the town mayor of Scarborough, said he was “appalled” by the way staff at the cliff lift had been treated and urged the unitary authority to “do right by the employees”
The mayor said: “Staff are on zero-hours contracts, so they’re not getting any money now that they’re out of work while it’s been closed.
“You’re going to start to see employees that have been there for over two decades start to leave their employment because they need to feed their families.”
He told the LDRS: “So, we’ve requested that the Scarborough Town Council get urgent correspondence on the repair of this from NYC.
“But it’s not about Scarborough Town Council.
"It’s about the residents of Scarborough, the community that is incredibly distraught that another heritage asset for Scarborough has been closed.”
At Tuesday’s meeting, a resident living at Esplanade Gardens said her partner was waiting for a hip operation and “can’t get down to the sea without the cliff lift”.
She added: “I just think it’s disgusting, actually, that a 150-year-old enterprise in the 400th year of Scarborough and this is what happens.”
Cllr Carl Les, the leader of North Yorkshire Council, said: “We know how much affection people have for the Scarborough Spa Cliff Lift and the important role it plays in the town’s heritage and identity.
“For many residents and visitors, it also provides an important link between the Esplanade and South Bay, helping people access the seafront more easily.
“We are continuing to assess the lift following its closure last month after an engineering assessment identified issues affecting its infrastructure and critical components.
“Since receiving the maintenance report, we have been working with specialist consultants to better understand the issues and what options may be available.
“We are now building a clearer understanding of the work that may be needed and the likely costs involved.
"We hope to provide more details in the coming weeks before a formal decision is made on any future programme of repairs.
“As part of this work, we are also exploring whether there are any essential repairs that could be carried out to allow the lift to reopen safely and as quickly as possible, while longer-term options are considered.”
The authority said that although the lift had undergone routine inspections and maintenance over the years, the latest engineering survey took a more detailed look at the condition of the tracks, carriages, and associated infrastructure.
Its coastal location exposes it to salt-laden air, strong winds, and harsh weather conditions, all of which contribute to accelerated wear and corrosion.
NYC said it will continue to review the findings and will provide further updates in due course.