Harrogate Christmas lights switched on by ‘Harry’s Heroes’

The finalists in the search to find the Harrogate district’s community champion were invited to perform the official Christmas lights switch-on in Harrogate last night.

Lauren Doherty, Greta Knight, Susie Little, Helen Mackenzie, Mark Oldfield and Cath Wilson asked to perform the duties outside the Victoria Shopping Centre at 5pm.

Mark was unable to attend but the five others were there, along with representatives from Harrogate Business Improvement District.

Those selected are finalists in Harry’s Heroes — an event run by the Stray Ferret in conjunction with former BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration and Harrogate Spring Water to find the people in the district doing exceptional things to help others in the community.

Christmas lights switch on

The BID, which organised the switch-on, did not publicise it in advance this year to avoid any covid risk caused by crowds gathering.

The BID, which is funded by a levy on businesses, aims to increase footfall in Harrogate town centre and boost trade.

It is also involved with this year’s Christmas Shop Window contest as well as the Father Christmas Experience at the Crown Hotel.

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Christmas lights switch on

Will you be going for a spin on Harrogate’s helter skelter?

Have you spotted Harrogate’s new Christmas attraction in front of the war memorial?

Harrogate Borough Council has installed a full-sized helter skelter opposite Bettys ahead of the festive season.

The fairground ride, which arrived last night, will remain in the town centre until January 2.

Rides will operate during the afternoon, subject to weather, throughout November and December.

The attraction is one of various ideas Harrogate BID, Visit Harrogate and the council have organised this festive season, along with Christmas markets, a Santa visit and a Christmas train, to encourage footfall into the town.

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https://twitter.com/Silverginger/status/1460367753660047364

Harrogate’s Got Talent: Have you got what it takes to liven up the town?

Can you hang a tune, juggle a bit maybe or do a few nifty dance moves? If so, your town needs you.

Harrogate Business Improvement District, which is made up town centre businesses, is looking for new street entertainers to liven the town up and make shopping a more upbeat experience.

Matthew Chapman the Harrogate BID manager said:

“We are looking for entertainers from all genres whether it be singers, magicians, actors or dancers – anything that will add to the shopping and hospitality  experience – the quirkier the better.”

Harrogate already has regular buskers who knock out Adele or Sinatra classics outside M&S on Cambridge Street in the hope of making money.

Mr Chapman says there’s no move to stop them. The aim is to provide a more consistent offer in the town and place entertainers in different areas, possibly at the rear of Primark on Oxford Street or at the end of Cambridge Street outside HSBC.

The BID has a small budget to support the new performers.

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If you think you’ve got what it takes and want to get involved, get in touch with the BID. Mr Chapman said:

“If people have got videos or YouTube accounts then we can see them perform – or you can email us and come in for an audition. We want to create a vibrant town centre so that people can enjoy the experience as well as the retail and hospitality offerings.”

The BID is keen to trial new performers during the Xmas period and roll it out across next year.

To contact the BID email info@Harrogatebid.co.uk

Do you know that Harrogate has a long history of street entertaining and that in Victorian times it could all get a bit raucous?  Read Harrogate Historian, Malcolm Neesam’s article on the very lively scene that existed in previous centuries. 

 

 

 

 

 

Harrogate Christmas shop window contest is back

Shops across Harrogate’s town centre are once again set to dazzle shoppers as they take part in this year’s Christmas Shop Window competition.

Harrogate Business Improvement District has partnered with the Rotary Club of Harrogate to organise and judge the annual festive contest.

It aims to promote town centre shops and push the ‘shop local’ message in the run-up to Christmas.

Businesses have until 8am on November 30 to dress up the windows. Shorlisting will take place on December 1 and the winner will be found on December 2.

The judges will be looking for three elements: illumination, innovation and the sprit of Christmas.

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The contest will be restricted to 50 businesses within the BID’s quarters of Kings, Montpellier, Victoria and West Park.

As in previous years there are three separate categories for large, medium and small retailers.

The overall winner will take home a special certificate and a bouquet of flowers.

Harrogate BID chair Sara Ferguson said:

“Last year, despite the restrictions that covid placed on retailers, Harrogate town centre looked fantastic thanks to our Christmas lights and the efforts of not just shops, but hotels, bars, cafes, restaurants and businesses across the whole town. I suspect that this year, town will look even more festive.”

Competition organiser and Rotary Club of Harrogate member, Graham Saunders, added:

“We are pleased that the competition is back to normal. We look forward to judging the shops and sharing in the awards ceremony.”

Which shops last year?

Mama Doreen’s Emporium was the winner in the large shops category, Helen James Flowers won the medium shops category, and Boho Chic, on West Parade, was the winner in the small shops category.

Helen James Flowers took the overall top spot.

Santa Claus is coming to town next month!

Santa Claus is coming to town next month as part of the Harrogate Father Christmas Experience 2021.

Harrogate Business Improvement District, which organises the event, revealed today that Father Christmas take up residence in the Crown Hotel after covid scuppered his appearance last year.

Children and families can come along on 15 days between November 20 and Christmas Eve to meet Santa and be part of an interactive elf-training experience hosted by chief elf Tinsel.

In previous years, Santa has made himself at home in Harrogate at Harlow Carr Gardens and Horticap but the centrally located hotel will host his visit this time.

Harrogate BID chair Sara Ferguson said:

“It is going to a truly magical experience for children and families, one that we are looking forward to deliver, and is a major component of our 2021 Christmas campaign.

“Harrogate BID, together with a host of partners, has been working behind the scenes for many months to ensure this will be a Christmas to remember, and one that will support our retailers at what has been an extremely challenging 18 months.

“And in just a few weeks, our Christmas lights will be illuminating more streets than in previous years.

For further details, including dates, click here.

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The Father Christmas Experience is part of what is shaping up to be a major festive offering in Harrogate this year.

The BID, which aims to increase footfall in the town centre, is also co-funding a town centre Ferris wheel, Victorian carousel, helter skelter and festive train.

It is partnering with The Rotary Club of Harrogate for the annual Christmas Shop Window competition and Harrogate International Festivals for its North Pole Post Office.

Are pop-ups set to stay in Harrogate after boom in popularity?

The trend of pop-ups stores appears to be on the rise in Harrogate town centre with two new ones opening recently at the Victoria Centre.

The latest ones follow the Ellie Warburtons pop-up cake shop which took over the former Swarovski store on James Street.

The idea of a pop-up is that it gives prime town centre space to small, local businesses at a fraction normal Harrogate high street rents.

The pop-up space outside the Victoria Centre near Claire’s is run by property consultants Barker Proudlove.

Before opening, Barker Proudlove had five businesses booked in for the first seven weeks.

The first tenant of the space, last week, Laura Berryman of L&N Candles said her pop-up was a “great success”.

She suggested similar venues should open in Harrogate to give small businesses the chance to reach more customers.

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Today, a ping-pong pop-up parlour opened in the shopping centre as a community space for locals to use. The aim is to encourage more people in to the town centre.

Pop-ups also stop a unit standing empty in Harrogate, even if only temporarily.

The trend has been welcomed by the Harrogate BID manager Matthew Chapman. He said:

“The BID is very supportive of having pop-up shops, albeit temporary, to bring empty units back to life. It is a great way of helping breathe new life into the high street, and also helps start up and independent businesses to test the market with their products without unnecessary financial risk.

And for the landlord, it also means they aren’t liable to pay ‘empty shop’ rates.”

£10.9m Harrogate Station Gateway ‘must focus’ on cycling and walking

The £10.9m secured for the Harrogate Station Gateway scheme must be spent on promoting cycling and walking, one of the councillors leading the initiative has said.

Yesterday a survey revealed most Harrogate businesses rejected the key proposals of reducing Station Parade to single lane traffic and pedestrianising James Street.

Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council, said the project had been funded by the UK government’s Transforming Cities Fund, which was set up specifically to encourage sustainable travel.

Therefore, he added, cycling and walking “must be the focus of this scheme”.

He added:

“It would not be possible, for example, to focus solely on public realm improvements or parking.”

Polarised opinion

An online survey run by the councils supporting the scheme revealed 45% of 1,101 respondents were in favour of the full pedestrianisation of James Street and 49% favoured making Station Parade one lane.

It would therefore seem the scheme enjoys wider support among the general public than it does among businesses but the issue continues to polarise opinion as a second round of consultation looms.

Cllr Mackenzie said:

“I would like to reassure the businesses that a principal reason for our current gateway schemes in Harrogate, Selby and Skipton is to make town centres more attractive places to visit and to boost the local economy in each town.

“With our partners, we undertook an extensive public consultation earlier this year on the initial proposals, in which all residents and businesses were able to give their views. This included events specifically designed to enable business groups, including Harrogate Business Improvement District, to give their feedback.

“The BID expressed the views now presented in its survey at that time, and these were taken into account as we prepared the revised proposals, as was the wider feedback we received from the community.

“A further planned consultation will be launched next month, in which all residents and businesses will be able to comment on the revised proposals. Again, there will be specific opportunities for businesses to comment.

“This will enable us to have a proper dialogue and help us to understand the issues behind the headline figures of the BID’s survey.

“In the meantime, we will continue to engage with the BID.”

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Harrogate businesses reject key proposals in £10.9m Station Gateway scheme

Most Harrogate businesses oppose plans to reduce Station Parade to a single carriageway and pedestrianise James Street, a poll reveals.

The joint Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, Harrogate Business Improvement District and Independent Harrogate survey was sent to more than 900 businesses. A total of 180 replied.

It was conducted shortly before the start of the next round of consultation on the £10.9m Harrogate Station Gateway scheme, which includes plans to pedestrianise some or all of James Street and reduce Station Parade to single lane traffic.

Of those who responded:

– 75% were against the full pedestrianisation of James Street
– 72% were against reducing the A61 from Cheltenham Mount to Station Bridge to a single lane
– 30% were in favour of making lower Station Parade one-way
– 42% in favour of two-way cycle lanes on Bower Road and along East Parade to the Odeon roundabout
– 74% were in favour of improving the area in front of Victoria Shopping Centre with the potential to host a range of events and activities

A total of 79% believed that reducing Station Parade to a single carriageway would be of no benefit to town centre businesses, and 68% felt likewise about pedestrianising James Street.

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The poll’s findings differ from those of a recent online consultation by the councils proposing the scheme, in which total of 45% of 1,101 respondents were in favour of the full pedestrianisation of James Street and 49% favoured an making Station Parade one lane.

In a joint statement, all three organisations said:

“Before the next phase of the Harrogate Station Gateway Project consultation begins, we canvassed the views of business owners and landlords.

“The questions we asked required either a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, and from conversations we have had with our members and levy payers over many months, the results come as no surprise, i.e. keeping the James Street and Station Parade status quo.

“Those who responded also strongly rejected the idea that pedestrianising James Street and reducing Station Parade to a single lane would bring business benefits.

“We would like to thank those who took the time to participate in this survey, the findings of which now be shared with North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council officers and members.

“Whilst we welcome investment in the town centre, we are keen to see it spent improving access for all, not just those arriving by foot or bicycle, whilst at the same time enhancing the existing public spaces with quality materials.

“We also appreciate the funding the authorities has received has to be used in specific ways which will constrain what they do, but we cannot ignore our businesses views regarding this project.

“Now covid restrictions are lifted, we ask that during the next round of consultation there are plenty of opportunities for the public to inspect the plans and speak to the project team, in person, and not just via online presentations.

“For our part, we will be looking to hold an event for businesses, in particular for those whose livelihoods are dependent on a vibrant town centre, so they can fully understand the benefits we are told this scheme will bring.”

The Station Gateway project, which aims to improve walking and cycling in town, is funded is funded by the government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

Both North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council support the initiative and hope to start work early next year.

Harrogate BID appoints new marketing executive

Harrogate Business Improvement District has appointed a new business and marketing executive.

Bethany Allen, an event management graduate, joins after two years working for West Yorkshire Police advising businesses on security measures.

The BID aims to improve footfall in Harrogate town centre to boost business.

Ms Allen will work with businesses, BID partners and board members to organise activities.

The former Harrogate Grammar School pupil grew up in the town and worked at the Turkish Baths while studying at university.

BID manager Matthew Chapman said Ms Allen’s local knowledge will be an asset to the BID:

“She knows the town centre incredibly well, which is a real plus for this role.”

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Ms Allen said:

“Harrogate is my hometown, and I count myself incredibly lucky being born here, schooled here, and now working here as part of the Harrogate BID team.

“Harrogate is the jewel in Yorkshire’s crown. It’s a town that is famed for its shops, restaurants, bars and conference facilities.

“I’m looking forward to playing my part in the evolving Harrogate BID story.”

‘Mindless idiots’ vandalise planters in Harrogate

A Harrogate business organisation has criticised “mindless idiots” for vandalising planters on the town’s Beulah Street.

Business owners on the street arrived this morning to find the planters had been damaged overnight and they had to clear the mess up themselves.

The planters were put in place last year by Harrogate Business Improvement District in an effort to improve the look of the town centre.

Around 20 businesses were given floral displays as part of the project in October. The BID also installed 120 hanging baskets across the town, including Beulah Street.

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A spokesperson for Harrogate BID told the Stray Ferret that it was now in the process of replacing the planters and working with Harrogate Borough Council to look at CCTV from the street.

They added:

“We are very disappointed by this. This was some mindless idiots who do not care for the town centre. Our remit is to make the town centre good.

“We are not going to be put off by some idiots.”