The largest bridal trade show in the UK is set to return to Harrogate for the next four years, in a move that is estimated to be worth £1.2million to the local economy.
Bridal Week will take over Harrogate Convention Centre for three days in September every year, bringing more than 4,000 visitors to the town to browse 350 collections from designers across the world.
The show has been based in Harrogate for 35 years and has grown to be the biggest in the UK.
Wendy Adams, director of Bridal Week at Ocean Media, said:
“Harrogate truly is a market leader. The event combines business and pleasure, and each year the industry takes over the town presenting the largest collection of bridal gowns in northern Europe.
“I go to bridal shows all over the world in Chicago, New York, Milan, Barcelona, Dusseldorf – and they’ve all heard of Harrogate, because of the show.”
The announcement of the four-year contract is a huge boost for Harrogate bridal businesses still recouping losses from the pandemic. The event is estimated to bring an economic impact of around £1.2 million to the local economy over the next four years.
This year’s show will take place between September 11 and 13.
Ms Adams said the central town location set Harrogate apart from its competitors. She said clients could easily head into town in the evening whereas other venues were based on the fringes of cities.
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It’s set to be a bumper year for the wedding industry with many couples eager to tie the knot after delaying during the pandemic.
The convention centre redeployed as an NHS Nightingale Hospital for a year during the pandemic but didn’t treat a single covid patient.
Paula Lorimer, director of Harrogate Convention Centre, said:
“It’s tremendous news that this stalwart exhibition is so firmly embedded with our venue for years to come, and that there’s such a strong bounce back for exhibitions and live events.
“The financial impact on our hotels, bars, restaurants and retail businesses is significant after the tourist season ends in summer.”
