During the current climate, we all need a bit of sparkle in our lives.

And what better way to inject some festive cheer than switching on the Christmas lights.

Here are the dates for your diary for switch-on events across the district:

Harrogate – Thursday, November 17

The countdown to Christmas in Harrogate will officially get underway this evening, with Harrogate BID flicking the festive switch.

There will be no official switch-on event this year, however Christmas lights around the town centre will start to dazzle for the first time this evening.

The whole town will be illuminated by the weekend.

Ripon – Saturday, November 19

Ripon’s festive season gets into full swing this weekend, with the switch-on of the city’s Christmas lights on Saturday.

The city’s Market Square will be a hive of activity from 1pm, ahead of the lights switch-on, which takes place at 5pm.

The reindeer, which proved popular when they visited Ripon for last year’s event, will be returning with Santa and once again there will be free fairground rides and a climbing wall for children to enjoy.

The Ripon City Council event will also provide free musical entertainment from 2pm.

Knaresborough – Friday, November 25

Boroughbridge – Wednesday, December 7

Santa’s sleigh out and about in Boroughbridge in 2018.

The annual late night Christmas Shopping and lights switch-on event, organised by the town’s Chamber of Trade, will take place on Wednesday, December 7.

The event kicks-off with the official switch-on of the Christmas tree lights in Hall Square at 5.30pm, followed by short performances by school choirs.

Boroughbridge Lions will have Santa and his sleigh on display and there will be children’s rides, along with the Scouts’ roast chestnuts and Brighter Boroughbridge with a mulled wine and mince pies stall. There will also be a hog roast.

The shop window display competition theme this year is “A Christmas Panto”.

The lights on the Christmas tree will be switched on by BBC Radio York’s Georgey Spanswick and the Mayor, Sean Hynes.

Local organisations are in unison with their reaction to the autumn statement, warning there will be a ‘tough winter’ ahead of us.

Small businesses are expected to struggle as result of this morning’s autumn statement, with consumers predicted to cut disposable spending.

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce chief executive David Simister said the statement was “exactly as previewed”:

“Whilst it will no doubt have reassured the markets, there seems very little to support businesses when they need it most.

“The cost of running business will continue to rise and these increases will have to be passed on to the customers, who in turn are worse off with soaring inflation and eye watering energy prices…

“I’m afraid to say many businesses are looking at a very bleak future.”

David Simister

Harrogate BID chair Sara Ferguson echoed the chamber’s projection:

“There was little in today’s autumn statement to boost our high street economy… Everyone is going to have less disposal income, this will mean consumers pairing back on their spending, which will shrink the economy further.”

Mr Simister and Ms Ferguson also agreed that the £13.6 billion business rates relief package would help soften the blow of April’s expected rise.

Sara Ferguson

Read more:

• Government grants needed to help finances, says county council leader
• ‘It’s still too high’ – Harrogate residents on the government’s energy announcement

Ripon BID welcomed some elements of the statement, such as the increase to pensions and benefits in line with September’s inflation rate as well as the early news of the rising national living wage for over-23s.

In a statement, the organisation said:

“The UK falling into recession was expected and Ripon BID hopes that the chancellor’s measures to reduce inflation will be in his words ‘as short and shallow as possible’, however we would welcome any help available to businesses from the government and urge them to come up with non-inflationary measures which would aid them.

“Now more than ever it is important that we try and support our local businesses by shopping locally and giving support to our Ripon city region independents.

“Ripon BID is here to help BID businesses and would urge those businesses to get in touch with us to enable us to help promote their business and any promotions over the festive season and into the new year.”

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt delivered the autumn statement earlier today. Millions across the country will face rising taxes and Mr Hunt spending cuts have been made to “tackle the cost of living crisis and rebuild our economy”.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A Christmas shop window competition for businesses in Harrogate is to return this year.

Organised by Harrogate Business Improvement District in partnership with the Rotary Club of Harrogate, the contest is set to include awards for large retailer, medium retailer and small retailer.

The competition, which is returning for its third year, promotes town centre shopping and broadcasts the ‘shop local’ message in the run up to Christmas.

The competition is limited to 50 entrants within the BID Levy area. Before dressing their windows, participants are asked to take into account the following criteria:

• Illumination: There is a historic link between the competition and the Christmas lights. How well is the window lit up?
• Innovation: How new or different is the window display?
• Spirit of Christmas: This is a ‘catch all’ category. How well does the display convey the ‘Spirit of Christmas’?

Sara Ferguson, chair of Harrogate BID, said: 

“We are delighted to announce the return of the Harrogate Shop Window Competition, once again in partnership with the Rotary Club of Harrogate.

“The town was beautifully presented last Christmas, with scores of retailers getting in the festive spirit and entering the competition. With the return of the competition, as well as our dazzling Christmas lights, Harrogate will very soon be looking at its absolute best.”

The competing retailers must have their windows completed by 8am on Tuesday, November 29 in time for shortlisting, with judging taking place on Thursday, December 1, between 3.30pm and 8pm.

The awards will be presented at prize giving ceremony being held on Tuesday, December 6, at the West Park Hotel.

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: Reed Boardall awarded top ranking for product safety
• Business Breakfast: Harrogate solicitors funds junior staff development

Ripon BID helps local businesses make savings

Businesses in Ripon have made nearly £30,000 worth of savings following the introduction of a support scheme nine months ago.

Ripon Business Improvement District launched the savings scheme with Place Support Partnership in an effort to help local firms.

To date, Ripon BID says they have identified £29,829 of savings against the project with several businesses taking on their advice and contracting services or renegotiating with their suppliers.

Helen Thornton, director of Ripon Museum Trust said 

“Ripon Museum Trust has just fixed its utility contracts in the most challenging of circumstances with the help of Rishi Sood from Place Support Partnership provided by the Ripon Business Improvement District. Rishi came to see us and gave us very level-headed and honest advice. 

“All the usual norms of the market for buying gas and electricity have basically flown out of the window recently and none of us in the trust are remotely qualified to understand the market – except we all knew it was going to be a pretty terrifying price.”

A final round of visits from PSP will be announced in the New Year, but businesses are urged to register their interest now via info@riponbid.co.uk.

Harrogate Business Improvement District has confirmed that manager Matthew Chapman will remain at the organisation.

Mr Chapman announced in September that he was due to leave the BID to take up a position at North Yorkshire Council.

However, the organisation has now confirmed that Mr Chapman will no longer be leaving.

Sara Ferguson, Harrogate BID chair said: 

“Following a change of heart, Matthew Chapman will now not be leaving Harrogate BID.

“This is extremely good news for us and Harrogate town centre businesses, and we look forward to continuing the relationship developed over the last 18 months.”

Read more:

• Harrogate BID cleaning ‘grot spots’ ahead of Christmas
• Starbeck to have two Remembrance Sunday events amid time disagreement

Mr Chapman, who took up the role in May last year, was previously Leeds BID operations manager in 2016 before becoming Huddersfield’s BID manager in November 2019.

Businesses within Harrogate’s town centre pay the BID 1.5% of their rateable value a year on top of their usual business rates.

Harrogate BID brings in around £500,000 from local firms, which it spends on projects to improve the town centre and increase the number of visitors.

During Mr Chapman’s 18 months in Harrogate, BID campaigns include power washing 80,000 square metres of the town centre, painting drab walls with colourful murals and buying more than 500 pieces of outdoor furniture for businesses to use.

Harrogate Business Improvement District has started a town centre clean up ahead of Christmas celebrations.

Crews have been steam cleaning and power washing ‘grot spots’ across the town.

The targeted areas include Parliament Street, Cambridge Crescent, Oxford Street, James Street, John Street, Albert Street and Station Square.

Christmas will see an ice rink in Crescent Gardens, the return of the Candy Cane Express, Harrogate Christmas Fayre, a shop window competition, an observation wheel and free parking.

The BID charges town centre businesses a levy, which it uses to improve the town centre and increase footfall.

Sara Ferguson, Harrogate BID chair, said: 

“With the countdown to Christmas well underway, we want Harrogate to be looking at its best, hence deploying our cleaning team.

“Using low water volume, high pressure steam cleaning, they are working evenings this week tackling high footfall areas. And with Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday just days away, the team are also cleaning paths and street furniture around the town centre war memorial.”

Read more:

• Library seeking volunteers to support Starbeck community this winter
• Starbeck to have two Remembrance Sunday events amid time disagreement

The work of the cleaning team, from UK Nationwide Cleaning, compliments the efforts of street ranger Chris Ashby, whose daily regime includes power-washing, weeding, painting and litter-picking.

A Harrogate-based developer has completed a £5.5 million new business park in Thrisk.

Marrtree Investments, which has offices at Cardale Park, unveiled the new park at Sowerby Gateway close to the A1(M) and A19.

The first phase was completed in February, and includes tenants such as Screwfix and Toolstation.

Now the second phase has finished with help from Harrogate construction group HACS with 10,000 sq ft of the new development already pre-let to wholesaler PJH Bathroom.

William Marshall, Marrtree Investments director, said:

“Following the success of the first phase of the development, we’re thrilled the entire scheme is now complete.

“The fact that we’ve already pre-let a third of this final phase is proof of the continued high demand for the kind of modern, high-quality employment space with which Marrtree has become synonymous over the years. 

“We have had a huge amount of interest in the remaining units and we’re confident further tenants will come forward over the next few months to fill them.”

Harrogate BID hopeful of success at national awards

Harrogate Business Improvement District is hoping for success at the National BID Awards in London next week.

The business organisation has entered two categories – place-management and special recognition. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 3.

Harrogate BID Manager Matthew Chapman and Harrogate BID’s Marketing and Business Executive, Bethany Allen.

Officials hope the BID’s Harrogate floral summer of celebration campaign will come up roses in the special recognition category, whilst its street ranger Chris Ashby – who helped save the life of a young man in Library Gardens — will secure the place-management title.

Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID manager, said: 

“Since joining us back in January, our street ranger Chris has been a real asset. His work in helping to keep the town looking pristine is appreciated by businesses across the town centre. And this summer, whilst on his rounds, his swift actions and level headiness helped save the life of a young man.

“We are also hopeful the success already achieved by our Harrogate floral summer of celebration campaign, which was delivered by BID project manager Jo Caswell, will be replicated in the special recognition category.”

Read More:

• Business Breakfast: Woodland grants for Nidderdale farmers
• Business Breakfast: Harrogate event celebrates success of inclusion project

Simon Kent, who helped to establish Harrogate Business Improvement District in 2018, has been appointed interim manager for a second time.

The news was confirmed today after current manager Matthew Chapman announced he was leaving in November to take up a new position at North Yorkshire Council.

Businesses within Harrogate’s town centre pay the BID 1.5 per cent of their rateable value a year on top of their usual business rates.

Matthew Chapman

This generates around £500,000, which the BID spends on projects to improve the town and increase the number of visitors.

Mr Kent, a former director of the Harrogate Convention Centre, was previously appointed interim manager in April 2020.

Harrogate BID chair Sara Ferguson said:

“Whilst we continue the process of seeking a new BID manager, we have appointed Simon Kent in an interim role.

“Simon was instrumental in helping to launch Harrogate BID back in 2018, and in April 2020 we asked him to take on the role of interim manager, which he did until May the following year.

“Simon’s experience and knowledge of Harrogate BID are second to none, and I’m delighted that he has agreed to come back in a part-time-basis until a successor to outgoing BID manager, Matthew Chapman, is found.

“I look forward to rekindling my working relationship with Simon, particularly as we head towards the festive season, which with the BID’s involvement will see Harrogate once again become ‘Destination Christmas’.”

The president of Harrogate in Bloom has said she is confident the town will maintain its floral reputation after spring’s shake-up of local government.

Harrogate Borough Council‘s parks and environmental services department has played a major role in maintaining the district’s green spaces over the last 50 years.

It has worked closely with Harrogate in Bloom and other volunteer groups on landscaping and creating attractive flower displays that are a major part of the town’s tourist appeal.

But the council will be abolished on April 1, triggering fears the new North Yorkshire Council, which will be based in Northallerton, might not value Harrogate’s appearance as highly and might not collaborate with local groups.

Harrogate Borough Council maintaining summer flower beds.

Pam Grant, president of Harrogate in Bloom, said she was “reassured” after talks with a representative of the new local authority about future plans. She said:

“The new council wants Harrogate in Bloom to continue and it wants Harrogate to maintain its floral reputation.

“I’m assured nothing will change overnight on April 1 and no drastic changes are planned.

“Nobody likes uncertainty but I feel reassured.”

Harrogate in Bloom is a volunteer-run group, which works with other community groups on town centre schemes.

It has also forged close relationships with Harrogate Borough Council and, more recently, Harrogate Business Improvement District, which has funded barrier baskets, hanging baskets and shop planters.

One of the BID’s floral schemes.

Harrogate was awarded a gold medal and named a winner in the small city category at this month’s Yorkshire in Bloom awards.

Ms Grant said:

“Harrogate doesn’t have a cathedral to attract visitors but it does have a reputation for being a nice town with lots of flowers and clean, fresh air.”

Read more:

• Harrogate and Ripon gardens win gold at Yorkshire in Bloom awards
• Harrogate district paddling pools to stay open but flower watering to reduce under hosepipe ban

A senior police officer has insisted Harrogate town centre “is safe” despite it having the highest rates of anti-social behaviour in North Yorkshire.

Chief inspector Alex Langley told a council meeting on Monday that the town centre is the “busiest” ward for North Yorkshire Police, but added the area’s crime figures are considered relatively low when taken in context of the large population.

He explained there have been a total of 243 anti-social behaviour incidents in the area across 12 months, saying:

“That is less than 0.6 incidents a day.”

He added:

“When you look at the amount of people and potential issues, I think it is actually quite a reassuring number and that it really is a safe place to be.”

Chief inspector Langley also said the entire Harrogate district had seen a “steady reduction” in all crimes over a one-year period, including a “phenomenally low” robbery rate with an average of one incident reported every two months.

However, he was warned by councillors that crime was becoming an increasing concern in certain areas and that the force may be unaware of hotspots because of residents’ reluctance to report incidents.

This includes Harrogate’s Bower Street which was highlighted by councillor Chris Aldred, who said anti-social behaviour “does seem to be getting worse” in the area with regular complaints of “rowdy” individuals drinking from 9am.

Read more:

• Police start two-week speeding crackdown in Harrogate district
• Lack of custody cells ‘hitting police responses’

On Friday (October 14), a man was reportedly stabbed in a fight on Bower Street and a 23-year-old man from Harrogate has since been charged with assault on a person occasioning actual bodily harm, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, and wounding with intent.

The area outside Harrogate’s McDonald’s restaurant on Cambridge Road has also been flagged as a concern after two community support officers were allegedly assaulted by two teenage girls on April 1 this year.

A 13-year-old and a 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have since been charged and are due to appear in court on October 28.

Chief inspector Langley said his officers were “well aware” of problems in the two areas as he also stressed the importance of people reporting incidents.

He added that a problem-solving plan was being made for Bower Street.

He told Monday’s meeting of Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny commission:

“We are alive to this and trying to use all the powers that we have got, but again if we don’t get the reports, we will struggle.

“My plea is that if there is a problem, tell us about it.”

Earlier this year, Harrogate BID launched a campaign to encourage people to report incidents in the town centre to ensure police crime statistics reflected the situation being experienced by business owners.

Harrogate Christmas Fayre will be “bigger and better” than last year’s, organisers said today.

Destination Harrogate, which is part of Harrogate Borough Council, today revealed further details of the fayre, which will run from December 2 to 11.

Last year’s activities marked a major departure from the town’s previous seasonal offering, with the longstanding, locally-run Harrogate Christmas Market on Montpellier Hill replaced by a town centre offering by the council in conjunction with Market Place Europe, a company that specialises in organising markets.

This year’s festivities will include:

• An outdoor ice skating rink, with an après ski bar offering seasonal treats and refreshments and a giant 32m Ferris wheel offering spectacular views of the surrounding area.
• A carousel, plus other children’s fairground rides, in Crescent Gardens, provided by Events By Cynosure and supported by Harrogate Borough Council’s parks and environmental services team.
• Town centre stalls selling Christmas gifts, decorations and food.
• The return of the Candy Cane Express, a road train transporting people around Harrogate town centre while the market is on. The train is co-funded by Harrogate BID.
• An artisan market run by Little Bird Made in Valley Gardens on the first two weekends in December.

The Candy Cane Express will return.

John McGivern, destination events manager for Destination Harrogate, said:

“We’re building on the success of last year and through working in collaboration with our partners, including Harrogate Borough Council and Harrogate BID, we can look forward to delivering something really special this Christmas.”

Read more:

• Harrogate council to promote Christmas with social media influencers again
• Seven places to see Santa across the Harrogate district this Christmas

Councillor Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“Once again, Christmas will be coming to Harrogate town centre and I for one can’t wait. Last year’s offer was a great success but I know this year’s will be even bigger and better.”

Cllr Cooper added the ice skating rink “not only offers an exciting opportunity for people of all ages to socialise but also encourages physical activity, in a magical environment”.

Nick Rhodes, chief executive of Market Place Europe, said:

“Harrogate is a beautiful and unique destination and the perfect place to enjoy our fantastic Christmas market. We’re really excited to be returning this year with an even bigger Harrogate Christmas Fayre.”