ARCADES PROJECT

Westminster Arcade in Harrogate dates from 1898, though it was initially called the Royal Arcade. It might have been conceived in a similar time to many other arcades in the UK, but it was unusual in being built up over several floors, with fairly large shop units, rather than the more common passageway with connecting small retail units. The bridal shop in the arcade today occupies the full four floors of the arcade frontage, its name appearing over and over as you look up at the turreted tower over the Parliament Street entrance.

The best views over the inside of the arcade today come from the Harrogate Tea Rooms, which perches up on the balcony overlooking the lower levels, and has a decorative stone cornice just above the tea tables. A book shop, beauty salon and alternative therapy centre were recent departures from the arcade at the time of our visit in late 2022. There is still a jeweller’s, a health food shop, a gallery and another beauty parlour, but those three vacant neighbours to the tea room mean the arcade is not as busy as it once was, or should be, given what a beautiful space it is.

The black and white tiled flooring draws the eye into the arcade off Parliament Street, with steps up to a mezzanine floor and a balcony above that giving views down to the ground floor and up to the glass ceiling. The main entrance on Parliament Street has delicate ironwork surrounding the name of the arcade, with the eye drawn up then to the three floors above and the turret at the top.

My favourite shop today

The Harrogate Tea Rooms win this by a long way, not only because most of their neighbours moved out in 2022, but also because this was such a great find for afternoon tea in Harrogate, run by a friendly couple who do all their own baking and give fantastic personal service.

My pick of the arcade’s past

For 1 shilling and sixpence you could get your perspiring feet looked at by Harold Richardson’s (chemist) in the arcade, “offensive or otherwise,” said the advert for his services at No 12 in June 1900. He also offered to deal with ‘superfluous hair’…

In March 1910 Madame Astoria offered her palm readings, clairvoyancy and character readings out of the ‘Music Room’ in the arcade. But by the end of April that year a Madam Vesta was advertising for two more ladies, ‘reliable character readers’, to join her in the arcade.

In 1912 the YMCA were organizing training for boys aged 12-16 upstairs in the arcade: there was ambulance first aid training, but also lessons in ‘gentlemanly behaviour and bible study,’ though one report added that there was also time set aside for reading or playing games…

This arcade in films or books

I failed to find any books or movies set in or about Westminster Arcade in Harrogate. Some scenes in Chariots of Fire (1981), Jane Eyre (1996) and The Secret Garden (1993) were filmed in Harrogate, but I’ll need to re-view these movies to try to spot the arcade in them…

What’s your favourite shop in the arcade today?

What memories do you have of visits in years gone by?

Have you got any good stories to add on the past of this arcade?

Have you seen Westminster Arcade in any other film or book?

Is there a website for this arcade?

Westminster Arcade in Harrogate does not have its own website, but is active on Facebook