Review into how Harrogate’s ‘underused’ Stray can be better used for events

A review is to be launched into how Harrogate’s “vastly underused” Stray can better be used for events.

The town’s popular Valley Gardens and other green spaces will also be included in the review, which aims to ensure the district “is gaining maximum social and economic benefit from these assets.”

As one of Harrogate’s best known landmarks, the Stray is 200 acres of parkland that sits on the edge of the town centre.

Despite its prime location, it is rarely used for large events as it is protected by legislation.

The Stray Act 1985 states that the parkland can only be used for events on 35 days a year, and it is Harrogate Borough Council that decides which events can go ahead.

The council, which will be abolished next year, is now planning to launch a review this year into how the Stray can be better used, although this won’t include a change in legislation.

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Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday, Cllr Chris Aldred said the Stray is “vastly underused” by people in Harrogate and that they should be encouraged to use it more often through events.

Cllr Aldred said:

“A lot of people do not use it for more than dog walking.

“It is a vast space in the centre of town.”

The Stray is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, and Harrogate Borough Council has responsibility for protecting and managing the parkland.

Damage during cycling event

It was infamously used during the UCI Road World Championships in 2019 when parts of the Stray used as a spectator area for the cycling event were badly damaged during heavy rain.

The race organisers Yorkshire 2019 later contributed £35,500 towards the repair costs, with an extra £95,000 of council cash being spent on upgrades.

Before the event could be held, the government had to grant permission for the Stray to be used for events beyond the permitted 35 days a year.

This was also the case for the Tour de Yorkshire in 2016 when Harrogate hosted part of the cycle race.

The new review into how the Stray can be better used will be led by the council’s tourism body Destination Harrogate, which has an overall aim to position the district as a “first choice destination for tourism, large-scale events and investment”.

Gemma Rio, head of Destination Harrogate, told Tuesday’s meeting: 

“There are so many beautiful spaces across the district that we want to make sure we are working with our partners to utilise effectively.

“Some of our actions are already well underway, but we haven’t begun this review yet.”

John McGivern, events manager at Destination Harrogate, also said: 

“When we do take this work action forward, it will be based on what we can do within the existing parameters.

“There is legislation in place that we have to work within, so it will be about making sure within that legislation we are making the best use of those spaces in the most commercial and beneficial ways.”

Harrogate district set to become health destination in echo of Victorian past

Long before ‘wellness’ became a buzzword, the Victorians were effectively already practising it.

And Harrogate led the way — even back then.

The wealthy and fashionable flocked to the spa town to experience its green open spaces and recuperative and healing powers of spring waters, which were first discovered by William Slingsby in the late 16th century.

Health and wellbeing hotspot

Now, more than a century after the Victorian era, Harrogate Borough Council’s new tourism body, Destination Harrogate, is set to promote the district as a health and wellbeing hotspot once again.

It will draw on the district’s rich spa heritage and accessibility to the great outdoors to attract visitors, events and investment to create a strong local economy.

The approach forms one of three key objectives in a three-year plan, which sets out a vision, priorities and actions that will be put in place to make the district “a first choice destination”.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Gemma Rio, head of Destination Harrogate, explained what this would involve.

She said:

“People have been coming to Harrogate since 1571 to take the waters and have a leisure experience, so that’s not new, but it has developed over the years.

“Now you can still go to the Royal Pump Room Museum and understand the spa heritage and our roots and how we became this great leisure destination, but you can also go to the Turkish Baths, you can go and have an incredible spa experience at Rudding Park or Grantley Hall.

“So the whole district is very good at that traditional health and wellbeing piece.”

Rudding Park Spa.

Wellbeing different for everyone

Ms Rio, who was appointed in October 2020, said one lesson that had been learnt as a result of the pandemic was that health and wellbeing is different to everyone.

She said:

“For some people it is a massage and a jacuzzi, but to others it’s a walk in the Nidderdale AONB, or it’s seeing a show at the theatre, or it’s just being with family around the table at one of our great independent restaurants. So that’s what we are going to try and pull out in our campaign.”

The multi-channel campaign, which will have a digital marketing focus, is being launched in April and will run for most of the year.

Ms Rio said:

“If someone is a really avid walker, we want to tell them that story and plan itineraries for them around walking and country pubs.

“Our supporting campaigns will also try and pick up the same messages.

“Every year Visit Harrogate ran a successful gardening campaign. Our partners loved that campaign, they have seen some great results from it.

“Obviously as a destination, gardening is a real strength of ours as well. We’ve got RHS Harlow Carr, Newby Hall and various places that have great gardens.

“So even our gardens campaign is going to try and link in with the health and wellbeing priority as well.”

RHS Garden Harlow Carr.

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Attracting business events

The focus on health and wellbeing will also be used to attract more leisure and business events, with one of the target sectors for conferences being the medical industry, Ms Rio explained.

She said:

“Where else to hold your medical conference than a destination that has this incredible spa heritage and medical story to tell?

“Where better to base you new health and wellbeing business, or really any business?

“If you want to invest in a place, knowing that you’re going to be somewhere where your employees health and wellbeing will be looked after. A place where their work/life balance will be stronger. It’s much easier to employ people to come and join you if you base yourself somewhere like the Harrogate district.

“It’s a really exciting campaign.”

Collaboration is key

Ms Rio said when the three-year blueprint, known as the Destination Management Plan (DMP), was written, a consultation with residents and businesses was carried out in order to come up with the three main priorities set out in the document.

She said:

“This theme came up over and over again and I think in many ways it’s a bit of a no-brainer. We’ve got the history, we’ve got a great story to tell.

“Health and wellbeing has rocketed as a trend over the past couple of years. Plus we already have strong products, like the Turkish Baths. So it’s not trying to promote something that we are not actually that good at.

“It’s not rocket science what we have come up with. But I think what we have not done as a destination is work together to really push that in the same way that a place like Bath does.

“The story has always been there but we haven’t really taken advantage of it in a way that we can now.

“Everyone is really keen to work with us to see this become a success, and I think as a destination that’s the only way it can work. That collaboration is absolutely key.”

‘Core part’ of district’s identity

Ms Rio said the health and wellbeing campaign will continue to evolve and grow as a “core part” of the district’s identity.

She said:

“Other campaigns will run alongside it to highlight other strands such as retail or arts and culture, but there will always be this golden thread running through it.

“A trip to Harrogate district is good for you, regardless of whether you are into massage, theatre or walking.”

Nidderdale AONB.

One of the main messages that will be promoted by the campaign will be length of stay, which will aim to encourage visitors to come for long weekends or weeks away in the district.

Ms Rio added:

“The way we do that is we try and prepare itineraries. So we are adding some functionality to the Visit Harrogate website this year that makes it easy for someone to say ‘I’m going to go to this experience in the morning, have lunch at this pub, stay at this hotel’. That helps to encourage people to stay longer, which benefits the local economy.”

Harrogate tourism body makes health and wellbeing top priority

Harrogate Borough Council’s tourism organisation has identified health and wellbeing, events and responsible tourism as its priorities over the next three years.

The council set up Destination Harrogate last year as its new ‘destination management organisation’ to showcase the Harrogate district and to grow the visitor economy and attract inward investment.

Destination Harrogate has now unveiled its three-year plan to “position the Harrogate district as a first choice destination for tourism, large-scale events and investment”.

The plan was approved by senior councillors at a cabinet meeting yesterday.

According to a council press release, the visitor economy makes up 14.3 per cent of the economy in Harrogate district.

The plan cites health and wellbeing as its top priority. It says it wants to “position the Harrogate district as a first choice health and wellbeing destination”.

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Its second priority is to “position Harrogate district as a first-choice events destination by attracting, hosting and delivering exceptional events”.

The council press release said:

“A year-round festival, conference and events programme will ensure a lift in the visitor economy and enable sustainable growth.”

Responsible tourism is the third priority. The press release says:

“As we become more conscious of and conscientious about green travel and sustainable tourism, the DMO will work with partners to develop a responsible tourism strategy in order to be recognised as a destination for responsible tourism by 2030.

“In doing so, the DMO intends to minimise the negative environmental and social impacts of tourism, and enhance the economic and cultural benefits for visitors, businesses, and residents.”

Worth £600m to economy

Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of the council, said:

“The visitor economy plays a huge role locally, underpinning 8,000 jobs and bringing £600 million in to our economy. Without it our district would be a very different place with fewer shops, businesses and job opportunities. That is why it is important that we seek to grow the visitor economy.

“This plan is the culmination of a number of interviews and surveys provided by people and businesses that have a direct input into the success of our visitor economy and who have shared their ideas and suggestions to take us forward.”

Gemma Rio, head of Destination Harrogate, said: 

“To attract business and investment, a destination must be distinctive, attractive and well managed and we have developed this destination management plan to set out the vision, priorities and actions, we – as a destination – need to put in place to meet that vision.

“Key stakeholders from visitor attractions and restaurants, independent hotels, conference venues and event organisers from across the district have contributed towards the shared goals of our ambitious plan to achieve the long-term vision of a visitor economy worth around £835 million per annum by 2030.”

Harrogate hospitality group accuses Stray Ferret of ‘misleading’ information

Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Association Ltd has accused the Stray Ferret of publishing “misleading press reports” in an article about a £3,720 payment for the purchase of the domain name Destination Harrogate.

Yesterday The Stray Ferret published an article about Harrogate Borough Council spending taxpayers’ money to buy the domain name from Destination Harrogate as part of our remit to scrutinise the use of public money.

The association said in a subsequent statement that Harrogate hoteliers Simon Cotton and David Ritson, who are directors of Destination Harrogate Ltd, did not own the domain name and “it was not theirs to sell” because the decision was taken jointly by members.

Mr Cotton is managing director of the HRH Group, which owns the Fat Badger, the Yorkshire Hotel and the White Hart hotel. Mr Ritson is general manager of the Old Swan hotel.

It adds:

“In 2019, HBC approached HHTA and investigated the opportunity to purchase the rites to the brand name and website. All members met and took a formal vote on the matter and agreed to sell the rites to HBC for a nominal sum. At no point did either Mr Ritson nor Mr Cotton have any greater involvement in this matter more than any other association member. It was agreed that Destination Harrogate as a company would be wound up and a newly formed company under the name ‘Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Association Ltd’ was registered. All assets were transferred to the new company”

The statement continues:

“In setting up the new company HHTA, Mr Cotton stood down as a director and therefore has no direct involvement in this company other than being a member of the association.

“HHTA would like to clarify that they were happy to work with HBC to transfer the domain name and that the transaction was between the HHTA and HBC only, and not anyone personally.”

The Stray Ferret has sought clarification on the statement.

Public records from the council show payment for the domain was made to Destination Harrogate Ltd, not HHTA Ltd.

Companies House records show Destination Harrogate Ltd is still an active company. A notice for voluntary strike-off was issued on January 4 this year. Mr Cotton and Mr Ritson have been listed as sole directors since late November 2019.

Companies House records for HHTA Ltd show the company has been dormant since 2020 with no activity.

In the light of this we asked for evidence of the assets, including the payment for the domain name, being transferred from Destination Harrogate Ltd to HHTA Ltd, as we have been unable to find any record.

We also sought clarification on how the domain name was not Mr Cotton or Mr Ritson’s to sell as they are listed as company directors, and requested further details about the links between Destination Harrogate Ltd, HHTA and HHTA Ltd.

The association, which lists the Crown Hotel in Harrogate as its address, replied to say it “will be making no further comment or response”.

The Stray Ferret contacted Mr Cotton prior to publishing yesterday’s article asking him if he wished to comment on the payment. We have not received a response.

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‘Waste of money!’: Harrogate council criticised for spending £700 on social media influencer

Harrogate Borough Council has been roundly criticised for spending £700 on a social media influencer whose posts about the town received little attention.

The Stray Ferret reported yesterday that the council paid Bristol travel blogger Heather Cowper to praise its new Harrogate Christmas Fayre.

But her post about it on Facebook received just two likes, which included one from the council itself. Her post on Twitter generated no likes but a series of posts on Instagram performed better, generating up to 65 likes.

Liberal Democrat councillor for New Park, Matthew Webber, who sits on the council’s audit and governance committee that scrutinises council spending, told the Stray Ferret he was “appalled by this waste of money”. He added:

“I would have thought it was possible to arrange to pay social influencers by their results and clearly this time the results were extremely disappointing.”

Cllr Matthew Webber

Cllr Webber said the council should have used local residents to promote the town instead.

“It probably received less likes on the various social media platforms than we could have got from just posting a similar article ourselves or other local residents who have social media profiles.”

‘I’d have done it for free’

Mary Beggs-Reid is a Harrogate resident who runs a Christmas page on Facebook that has over 500,000 members. She told the Stray Ferret she would have promoted the Christmas Fayre on the page for the council for free.

Ms Beggs-Reid, who found fame for starting the Christmas jingle, said she posted a video of Knaresborough market traders in the group that received 14,000 views in an hour.

“I’d do anything for my town. I’d have done it for free.

“But they’ve paid an out-of-towner to promote us. The council don’t look into what’s going on in our town”.

Mary Beggs-Reid

‘Online vanity project’

The £700 spend was also criticised by the national group Taxpayers’ Alliance, which campaigns for a low tax society.

Harry Fone, its grassroots campaign manager, said:

“Taxpayers will be absolutely livid at this terrible waste of money.

“The council should be ashamed that it has spent public cash so poorly.

“In future, town hall bosses should focus on frontline services rather than online vanity projects.”

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It wasn’t all criticism, however. One reader contacted the Stray Ferret to say the article was unfair as Facebook is not Heather on her Travel’s primary channel.

The reader said Ms Cowper’s posts about Harrogate had performed better on Instagram although she added she wasn’t suggesting it was good value.

Destination Harrogate

The decision to use a social media influencer to promote the town was made by Destination Harrogate, the council’s tourism body.

The organisation is headed up by Gemma Rio who was appointed in September 2020. A job advert from when before Ms Rio was appointed advertised the role for a salary of around £60,000 a year.

The Stray Ferret has requested an interview with Ms Rio on three separate occasions. These have all been refused.

Gemma Rio

‘Digital landscape has changed’

The council sent a pre-written statement from Ms Rio in response to our story yesterday.

“The digital landscape has changed significantly in the last few years with around 80% of adults (53 million) using social media daily, with the average user spending almost two hours on these platforms.

“Like many other destination management organisations – as well as most businesses – Destination Harrogate is keen to capitalise on this incredibly effective marketing tool to target specific audiences, especially around the tourism and travel sector.

“Heather Cowper was chosen as she regularly appears on the lists of top 100 travel blogs worldwide and has established herself as one of the best traveller bloggers. Regularly receiving thousands of views every month on her videos, photos, podcasts and blogs.

“Heather’s content is also incredibly well written – having spent many years sharing her own travel experiences and insights – and also attracts our target demographic.

“The joy of using social media as a marketing tool is that it is often more cost-effective and engaging than traditional advertising, as we can utilise photography and video as well as words. All adverts and promotions can also be evaluated extensively; whether that’s reach and engagement or driving traffic to our website, for example.

“We can also continue to adapt and tailor our approach to future campaigns, attract new visitors, as well as understand the behaviours of our target demographic to ensure a return on our investment.

“Social media advertising and the use of influencers to increase brand awareness looks like it will continue to be one of the most beneficial marketing tools. We’re keen to continue using it to showcase what the Harrogate district has to offer and stand out amongst competitor destinations.”