Harrogate wins gold at Britain in Bloom

This article is free to read. We publish about 100 articles a week all exclusively focused on local news. Please support independent local journalism by subscribing here. It costs as little as 14p a day.

Harrogate has won a gold medal at the national finals of Britain in Bloom.

Harrogate was one of eight places vying for the overall title in the small city category.

That accolade, which Harrogate last won in 2016, went to Aberdeen.

Nevertheless, a gold award at the British finals is a considerable achievement for the organisations that supported Harrogate’s bid.

Chorley, Derry, the London borough of Tower Hamlets, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Shrewsbury and Torquay were also finalists in the small city category.

The results were revealed at a ceremony in Brighton this afternoon and will be officially announced on BBC’s The One Show at 7pm tonight.

Harrogate qualified by winning the Yorkshire in Bloom accolade last year.

Judges from the Royal Horticultural Society, which organises the annual regional and national In Bloom contests, visited Harrogate in August to assess the town’s bid.

Horticap, Harlow Hill allotments, Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett Acre Nature Reserve, Valley Gardens and the town centre were among the areas assessed.

Harrogate in Bloom is a voluntary organisation that incorporates numerous parties, including North Yorkshire Council, Harrogate Business Improvement District, Harrogate Flower Shows, Horticap, Pinewoods Conservation Group, Friends of Harlow Carr, the Stray Defence Association, schools and Woodlands Community Garden.