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18
Feb
Harrogate hotels vote ‘no’ to tourist tax
The largest 15 hotels in Harrogate have voted against setting up an Accommodation Business Improvement District for the town.
The ABID, which would have come into existence at the start of next year, would have introduced an overnight charge on visitors — widely known as a tourist tax — of £2 per room.
Hoteliers hoped the move would generate £679,000 a year for marketing Harrogate and promoting business and leisure events that increased overnight stays.
But hotels voted to reject the idea in a ballot, it was announced today (February 18) in a press release by Harrogate Business Improvement District.
The outcome is a surprise because a group of hoteliers brought forward the idea and spent two years developing the proposal.
But ultimately they failed to attract enough votes.
The Stray Ferret has asked Harrogate BID how many hotels voted for and against the proposal in the ballot.
Supporters of the idea expressed disappointment at the outcome of the vote.
Dan Siddle, general manager of the Crown Hotel and co-chair of the ABID steering group, said:
Naturally, we are disappointed with the outcome. The ABID proposal was designed to create a sustainable investment model that would allow us to compete more effectively in a rapidly evolving visitor economy.
Many local managers recognised the benefits for the town, but some national operators take a different position on levies, which ultimately influenced the result. We respect the vote and thank all businesses that engaged constructively in the process.
Simon Cotton, managing director of the Fat Badger Group and co-chair of the ABID steering group, added:
The conversations over the past year have underlined how important tourism remains to the town’s prosperity. While this ballot has not secured the mandate required, we remain committed to working collaboratively with the accommodation sector to explore other ways to strengthen and promote our destination.
'Not what we hoped for'
Harrogate BID supported the setting up of a sister Accommodation BID and was widely involved in talks.
Simon Midgley, chair of Harrogate BID, said:
The BID was proud to lead and fund this project from its inception through to ballot as part of our commitment to supporting the long-term success of the town. We firmly believed the ABID offered an opportunity to unlock additional, ring-fenced investment dedicated specifically to growing overnight stays.
Although the result is not what we had hoped for, our focus remains on delivering value for businesses and continuing to work proactively with partners to strengthen the town centre and wider visitor economy.
Gemma Rio, interim chief executive of Harrogate BID, said:
We undertook extensive consultation to ensure businesses could make an informed decision, and we respect the outcome. The feedback gathered during the process remains valuable and will help shape next steps as the ABID steering group and BID board consider how best to support the accommodation sector and visitor economy moving forward.
The tourist tax would have been introduced at the following hotels:
• Cedar Court Hotel
• Crown Hotel
• Crowne Plaza
• The Old Swan Hotel
• The Cairn Hotel
• The Yorkshire Hotel
• The White Hart Hotel
• Hotel Du Vin
• West Park Hotel
• The Harrogate Inn
• Premier Inn (town centre)
• Travelodge (West Park)
• Travelodge (town centre)
• The Studley Hotel
• Majestic Hotel
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, has announced plans for a separate tourist tax on all accommodation providers in the region if government legislation enabling the move goes ahead.
The government consultation ends today.
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