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28
Jul
Harrogate hospitality enjoys ‘blockbuster fortnight’
Bars, restaurants and hotels in Harrogate have enjoyed “the best two weeks' trading in years”, thanks to back-to-back major events.
Between July 14 and 26, Harrogate hosted the four-day Great Yorkshire Show, the Home and Gift Buyers' Festival and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, which brought an estimated 175,450 tourists to the town.
Simon Cotton, managing director at the Fat Badger Group, said it was: “Nothing short of a hospitality masterclass, with the town’s hotels, bars, restaurants and attractions all enjoying a surge in trade.”
Mr Cotton continued:
Hotel occupancy across the town has been consistently high, with many properties reporting full houses for multiple nights. In some cases, rooms were snapped up weeks in advance, and late bookers found themselves scrambling for anything with a mattress and a postcode beginning HG1. It’s been a welcome boost for hoteliers who have spent the last year navigating rising costs, unpredictable demand patterns, and the ongoing challenge of staffing in a competitive labour market.
Mr Cotton said the Great Yorkshire Show and crime writing festival were particularly profitable because they took place over several days.
He said:
Guests don’t just pop in for a single night; they settle in for three or four, filling rooms midweek and creating a ripple effect that carries straight into the weekend. Bars and restaurants feel the benefit too, with visitors spilling into town after the showground closes, hungry, thirsty, and ready to explore.
Mr Cotton also highlighted the diverse mix of attendees – ranging from farmers and families to business people and book lovers – all who visit Harrogate regularly for these annual events, and come to know and love local independent businesses.
Gold dust
Given the difficulties hospitality has been facing in recent years, this bumper month, which has also included fine weather and football's World Cup, has been invaluable.
Mr Cotton said:
What’s most encouraging is how these events overlap to create a compound effect. Instead of isolated peaks, Harrogate has enjoyed a sustained period of high footfall, strong spending, and vibrant atmosphere. For hospitality businesses, that consistency is gold dust. Staff rotas stabilise, stock ordering becomes more predictable, and operators can plan with confidence rather than crossing fingers. The literal back-to-back running of these three events couldn't have worked better and I hope this can be repeated in future years.
It is a reminder of Harrogate’s strong tourism roots, and how the town has a reputation for being a great place to enjoy a huge range of bars, pubs, restaurants and shops.
Mr Cotton said: “If the last fortnight has shown anything, it’s that Harrogate hospitality is resilient, adaptable, and ready to shine when the town is buzzing. And right now, Harrogate is buzzing louder than it has in a long time.”
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