A company that wanted to run two 340m zip wires in Whitby has defended the plans.
Barnsley-based Big Bang Promotions had approached Scarborough Council about its plan to install the two lines in time for the summer season when the coronavirus restrictions are lifted.
The proposal, which had drawn criticism from local groups, would have taken thrillseekers 300 metres from the town鈥檚 West Cliff to a landing spot in front of the lighthouse on the West Pier until the end of September.
Last week, the council confirmed it had decided that it could not support the idea, ending any chance of it progressing.
In a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service the company said it was 鈥渄isappointed鈥 by the decision of the council and blamed 鈥渋nfluential鈥 members of the Whitby community for spreading misconceptions about the pop-up attraction.
A spokesman said: 鈥淲e completely respect the decision made by Scarborough Borough Council and the feelings of the local community are of course extremely important to any small business looking to invest in the town.
鈥淲e are obviously disappointed, as a Yorkshire-based leisure company who have been hit hard by the Covid -19 pandemic and were looking at opportunities that would get us on the front foot again.
鈥淒espite our experience of running pop-up zip wires around the country, which in the main are welcomed by stakeholders, this is the first time we have come up against such strong opposition to the activity especially given that this was never going to be a permanent fixture.
The proposal definitely polarised opinions, the objections were widely reported on but as social media shows there were also a large number in favour of the Zip Wire as well, especially from the younger generations and families looking to do an activity together.
鈥淭he strength of feeling against the proposal seems to in the main have come from certain influential members of the community who were very much led by pre-determined misconceptions of the activity and the customer demographic the activity attracts.
鈥淗owever, that said we did not actually have any contact from any one from Whitby to discuss the proposal formally or to ask any relevant questions.鈥
During the consultation John Freeman, chairman of the Whitby and District Tourism Association, had called the proposal an 鈥渁wful idea鈥.
He added: 鈥淚 find it amazing that anyone could even think of such a crass idea.
鈥淚t is totally out of keeping with the image Whitby wishes to project. We are not Blackpool or Scarborough and certainly do not want to go down that road.鈥
In response, Big Bang Promotions, said that the comments were 鈥渕isguided鈥 and 鈥渄isparaging鈥.
The spokesman added: 鈥淥ur customer demographic is in the main families, mums and dads with teenage children, charity fundraisers doing a challenge activity to raise money, gift experience voucher holders, local businesses doing team building events, school groups doing educational workbooks as well as people already looking to visit for the day.
鈥淚n certain media reports it was mentioned that Whitby did not want to attract 鈥榯hose types of people鈥 in reference to people who participated on zip wires, which we feel was misguided.
鈥淶ip wires are currently operated at various locations around the country including seaside resorts such as Bournemouth, to call them 鈥榗rass鈥 which was the word used in this case we feel was a little disparaging to the places which have them, the participants, and the activity itself.鈥
