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Feb 2024
Christmas was a success, but Harrogate festive switch-on in 2024 unlikely, says tourism boss
Harrogate looks unlikely to host a grand switch-on of its Christmas lights this year, according to the council’s tourism boss.
The official switch-on of the illuminations was an annual tradition that drew crowds to the town centre and marked the start of the festive season, but it was stopped due to covid and has never been revived.
Asked by the Stray Ferret if it would be, Gemma Rio, head of tourism for North Yorkshire Council, said:
North Yorkshire Council has been conducting an evaluation of Harrogate’s 2023 Christmas festivities, but it appears no concrete conclusions have yet been drawn.
Asked what would be different this year, Ms Rio said:
Harrogate’s Christmas attractions drew a mixed response from visitors. Comments on the Stray Ferret’s Facebook page ranged from “better than last year” to “very disappointing”. In particular, the ice-rink in Crescent Gardens attracted much criticism after wind and rain forced its closure several times, and visitors complained about the quality of both the ice and the skates.
Its operator, York-based Events by Cynosure, said it had no plans to return for Christmas 2024 “due to the losses sustained this year from the weather and lack of footfall in the area”.
But Ms Rio said that the company and the council were still “in conversations about that”, adding that they hoped to be able to announce more details “in the next couple of months”.
Overall, she said the council was happy with Harrogate’s performance over the Christmas period. Hotel occupancy in December 2023 was 3% higher than in 2022, and 20% higher than 2021. Of non-residents surveyed by the council, 36% were visiting Harrogate for the first time, which she said suggested that the Christmas offer was attracting new visitors to the area.
Ms Rio added:
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