‘New normal’ will be good for Harrogate, says new BID manager

The new manager of Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) says he is confident the town centre will survive the covid crisis and that the ‘new normal’ will be favourable to the high street.

Matthew Chapman, who joined the organisation from Huddersfield BID, is set to take up the role officially from May.

He said the biggest concern was the “different levels of appetite” for people to get back out onto the high street and how to manage that demand.

As the economy continues to reopen under the government’s “roadmap”, Mr Chapman said it would be a challenge for businesses to adapt to the lockdown easing.

He said:

“On the small conversations that I have had with people, I think the biggest concern is different peoples’ level of appetite to get back out and about.

“A lot of people will still want to keep two metres apart, a lot of people will still want to wear masks, whereas other people are just ready to get back to normal.

“I think managing that as a business is probably going to be one of the challenging subjects over the next couple of months as we get to the magical date in June.”

Ahead of the anticipated demand, Mr Chapman will launch a new app to help businesses advertise their deals.

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The app will be a place for local traders in the town centre to advertise their own deals, competitions and different “interactive trails”, such as a craft beer trail.

Mr Chapman said the app could help people to discover different parts of the town centre.

Cambridge Street in Harrogate.

Cambridge Street in Harrogate town centre.

When asked how it would help businesses after the pandemic and what the thinking behind it was, Mr Chapman said:

“I think the thinking behind it is to showcase the best of the town so that it is all in one place, the deals, the competitions and the interactive trails.

“It’s one place that people can find and showcase the best of the town. As well as that, it’s another vehicle for businesses to promote themselves in an interactive and digital way.”

‘The new normal is really favourable to the high street’

The pandemic has taken its toll on retail and hospitality alike, with one Harrogate hotel boss admitting that hospitality had “lost its sexiness” due to covid.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Borough Council leader, Cllr Richard Cooper, has warned that footfall will continue to decline in the town centre without change after covid.

However, it was revealed on Friday that the percentage of vacant shops in the district had fallen to 6.8% in March compared with 8.6% on the same time last year.

But, Mr Chapman said he was confident that the town centre will survive the past 12 months of the pandemic.

He said:

“We’ve talked about the changes that are needed, but I think there is a huge appetite for people to come out and support the town centre.

“I know before there was concerns about whether people would want to come back to the high street and would people want to come back out. 

“But, in all honesty, I think the concerns are more around how we manage the demand. I think there is going to be lots of people coming back out.

“I think the ‘new normal’ is really favourable towards the high street.”

Harrogate empty shops to reveal town’s links to famous faces

Empty shops in Harrogate are to get a new lease of life by telling the story of the town’s links to famous people.

Harrogate Business Improvement District , which aims to drive footfall into the town centre, has collaborated with Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam on the project.

It has already installed the first window vinyl in the former Hotter store on Cambridge Street.

The window features Sir Edward Elgar, The Beatles and Louis Armstrong, who all have connections with Harrogate.

The Beatles played at the Royal Hall in March 1963 and Louis Armstrong performed at the same venue in October 1933.

Elgar was a regular visitor to the town. He would often stay at the Crown Hotel and the Majestic Hotel. A walk in Valley Gardens is named after him.

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Over the coming weeks Debenhams on Parliament Street and Swarovski on James Street will also be transformed.

These will tell the stories of Harrogate’s connections to Agatha Christie, Sir Winston Churchill and Charles Dickens.

Creative agency The Lift Agency, and signs and graphic experts De-signs are also involved in the project.

Harrogate BID chair Sara Ferguson said:

“I think the first window looks absolutely fantastic, and will help instil pride in our town, and also give people another reason to visit.

“There is nothing worse than seeing empty shops and what we are doing is helping to create a town that is a fabulous place to shop, eat and drink, one that is interesting, and one that is proud of its history and heritage.

“I would like to thank Malcolm Neesam for penning the words, and our two other partners in this project, De-signs, and The Lift Agency for creating these superb vinyl graphics.”

Harrogate BID “urges caution” over Station Gateway project

Harrogate Business Improvement District has “urged caution” over plans for the town’s £7.9 million Station Gateway project.

In its consultation response, the BID said it “broadly welcomed” the investment but added the town centre economy is in a “fragile state” and needed to be confident the changes would help Harrogate “thrive”.

The BID said it supported a two-lane option for Station Parade but with one lane dedicated to buses and taxis only.

It did not agree with the proposed two-way cycle lanes as it “does not form part of a connected and segregated cycling route, and would result in reduced space for pedestrians”.

Meanwhile, the BID said it supported segregated cycling on both sides of East Parade and preferred minor public realm improvements outside Victoria Shopping Centre in order to focus on Cambridge Street.

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It also preferred for pavements to be widened on James Street, allowing a single carriageway for vehicles, with some short stay/blue badge/delivery bays. Other proposals being consulted on include pedestrianising the street.

A proposal for widened pavements and single lane of traffic on James Street, which the Harrogate BID supports in the Station Gateway plan.

A proposal for widened pavements and single lane of traffic on James Street, which the Harrogate BID supports in the Station Gateway plan.

The BID also raised concerns the current consultation process had not engaged the wider Harrogate community, and urged North Yorkshire County Council to consider sending details of the proposals via email and post to all Harrogate residents.

Sara Ferguson, chair of Harrogate BID, said the project would have a “major impact on our town centre”, adding:

“We are pleased the investment aims to create a step change in travel, and forms part of a much wider plan to tackle the climate crisis and deliver a more sustainable future for the town centre.

“We also hope this investment will help to support our journey to recovery, but urge that consideration is given to the consultation feedback to ensure that we capture the views and ideas of businesses, residents and visitors, to shape and influence the proposed plans.

“It is essential that we continue to invest in infrastructure for cars, particularly off-street car parking, park and ride, improved signage, and electric car charging to ensure that Harrogate can thrive and prosper for many more generations.”

The government’s Transforming Cities Fund has provided funding for the gateway project, to improve the design of the town and encourage more sustainable transport.

North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority are delivering the initiative.

Harrogate Business Improvement District appoints new manager

Harrogate Business Improvement District has appointed Matthew Chapman as its new manager.

Harrogate is one of more than 300 places in the UK to have a BID, which aim to attract inward investment in town and city centres and boost footfall.

Mr Chapman, who will begin the £45,000 role on May 1, was appointed Leeds BID operations manager in 2016 before becoming Huddersfield’s BID manager in November 2019.

The job advert for his new role said the successful candidate would be responsible for a budget of £3m over five years, managing staff and partners, leading projects and delivering key performance indicators.

Harrogate BID chair Sara Ferguson said:

“Matthew was the standout candidate in our recent recruitment drive for a new manager. He brings with him experience of working with two major Yorkshire BIDS.

“We are very much looking forward to working with Matthew as Harrogate comes back to life from covid lockdown number three. He has some fantastic ideas for promoting Harrogate as a must-visit destination.”

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Mr Chapman said:

“Harrogate is a fantastic town with so much to offer, and coming here as a regular visitor since my childhood, I know it well.

“Thanks to my roles with both Leeds BID and Huddersfield BID, I’ve gained a great deal of experience working with businesses, councils, tourism bodies and the police. Building teams and working with wider teams is a core strength of mine.

“I’m really looking forward to starting my new job helping to promote Harrogate as a wonderful destination to shop, eat and drink, and to ensure the town centre is clean, safe and welcoming to all.”

Harrogate town centre cleaned ready for return of retail

Harrogate Business Improvement District has called in its cleaning crew to sort out the town’s “grot spots” ready for the return of retail next month.

Teams have started weeding and washing footpaths on East Parade, Tower Street and Bower Road, including the pedestrian tunnel.

When they have finished there they will move onto other areas the Harrogate BID has identified as being in need of a clean.

Last year the BID awarded Yorkshire-based company UK Nationwide Cleaning Services a four-year cleaning contract.

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Between April and December, the company power-washed about 40,000 square metres in the town centre.

Sara Ferguson, chair of the Harrogate BID, said:

“One of our remits is to build on the day-to-day work undertaken by Harrogate Borough Council’s street cleansing department, and to ensure Harrogate town centre continues to look at its best all year round.

“With Easter a month away, and ‘non-essential’ shops to reopen on April 12, we want the town to look clean, welcoming and inviting for the long-awaited return of customers, hence this early spring clean.”

Harrogate business groups want Station Gateway cash spent elsewhere

Three Harrogate business groups have come together to ask for some of the money set aside for cycle lanes on Station Parade to be spent elsewhere.

North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council launched a four-week public consultation on the Harrogate Gateway Project today.

The councils set out plans last week to pedestrianise James Street, build cycle lanes on Station Parade and improve cycling facilities in the town centre.

Under the government’s Transforming Cities Fund, the county council secured £7.8 million in ring-fenced funding.

Now that the public consultation has started, the Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, Harrogate BID and Independent Harrogate have had their say.

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The groups suggested East Parade and Cambridge Street as places they feel the money would be better spent.

However, Harrogate Borough Council has said the funding can only be spent improving the bus and train station area only and has to be focussed on transport-related activity.

Sandra Doherty from the chamber, Robert Ogden from Independent Harrogate and Sara Ferguson from Harrogate BID said:

“The challenge we are facing is how do we achieve a net-zero carbon town centre economy and simultaneously create a trading environment in which todays’ businesses can thrive?

“The Harrogate Gateway project gives us the opportunity to start the job of achieving this.

“While we welcome measures to reduce traffic congestion on Station Parade, we feel East Parade would be best placed for the new cycle lanes.

“We also believe that money would be better spent enhancing Cambridge Street, as this is very much the ‘gateway’ into Harrogate town centre from both the bus and railway stations.

“Also, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that previous studies have revealed that between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of visitors to Harrogate arrive here by car.

“Considering Harrogate’s role in Bicycling Touring Club, the Tour de France Grand Depart and the UCI World Cycling Championships, the town has somewhat lagged behind others.

“If this project is about making Harrogate accessible to more sustainable forms of transport, we particularly need to encourage visitors with electric and hybrid vehicles.”

‘Random road closures not solution’ to Harrogate traffic woes

Harrogate’s business groups have raised concerns over plans to close off streets in Harrogate to create a “low traffic neighbourhood”.

North Yorkshire County Council revealed that it will close Beech Grove to through traffic in less than two weeks’ time.

The experimental closure will be in place for six months from February 15 and, depending on the results of a public consultation, it could become permanent.

Residents, refuse collections and emergency services will still have access to the area. But motorists will no longer be able to get directly from Otley Road to West Park via Beech Grove.

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Now officials at the chamber of commerce and business improvement district have weighed in on the debate, arguing the struggling high street could be negatively affected by the plans.

Sandra Doherty, the chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said:

“The solution is not, and never will be, the random closing of one road or another. A fully thought out, cohesive plan, which must involve all stakeholders should be undertaken.

“We must understand that no one single group will have the perfect solution. There will have to be some give and take.”

She added:

“I am not convinced that the Government’s view of car free towns surrounded by cycle lanes and pavements is the solution to the decline of the high street.

“Now we have all got used to shopping online, towns will have to provide a more experiential offering. Banning cars or discouraging them just won’t help.”

The proposed area for the Low Traffic Neighbourhood on Beech Grove, including the planters on the junction with Lancaster Road.

The proposed area for the Low Traffic Neighbourhood on Beech Grove, including the planters on the junction with Lancaster Road.

Sara Ferguson, chair of Harrogate BID, added:

“We need to know what else North Yorkshire Council is planning for the town centre.

“In its letter to Beech Grove and Lancaster Road residents, the council says this initiative is part of an overall ‘package of improvements’ but fails to reveal any more details.

“If its wider strategy is to reduce traffic in the town centre, then we need to know.

“We would like to think any future plans would include the addition of a large number of electric charging points. It would encourage those with electric vehicles to visit the town and help to reduce CO2 emissions.”

Ms Ferguson also said, if any free parking is to be lost, the BID would like to see Harrogate Borough and North Yorkshire County councils work together to reduce the costs in multi-storey car parks, which she said were under-used.

Harrogate Gift Card enjoys record month

Harrogate Gift Card enjoyed its best-ever month in December, as 392 cards were bought with a combined value of £17,200.

The cards, which can be pre-loaded with any value up to £500, are redeemable at more than 90 town centre shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, businesses and attractions.

Participating businesses include Bettys, Crown Jewellers, Dizzy Duck, Harrogate Theatre, Yorkshire Farmers Meat Co, Rhodes Wood and Blamey’s Florists.

The initiative, which is free for businesses to sign up to, ensures that every £1 pre-loaded onto a card stays within the local economy.

Sara Ferguson, chair of Harrogate Business Improvement District, said many people regarded its card as an ideal Christmas present. She added:

“It was also particularly pleasing to note that a number of businesses and organisations bought cards as gifts for employees and clients.

“The biggest single transaction recoded at the beginning of the month was for 50 cards!

“The BID’s remit is to increase footfall, spend and dwell time within Harrogate town centre, and the Harrogate Gift Card is one such initiative helping us support our high street.

More information on the Harrogate Gift Card, which during lockdown can only be purchased online, is available here.

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Have you seen our Shop Local section? You can shop online and continue to support Harrogate businesses during lockdown. Click here to find out more.

Harrogate BID votes in new chair

Harrogate BID has elected a new chair for the next 12 months, with a unanimous vote in a virtual meeting.

Sara Ferguson, who co-owns Sasso and Caffe Marconi, had been the acting-chair since last May.

She stepped up into the role when former chair Bob Kennedy resigned along with three directors in April last year.

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As well as the appointment of Sara Ferguson as the chair, six new directors have joined the board.

Bokmun Chan, Studley Hotel & Orchid Restaurant, Nick Hubbert, Hoopers, Dan Siddle, the Crown Hotel, and Wayne Topley, Cedar Court Hotel have just joined.

Jim Mossman, Cold Bath Brewing Co, and Lesley Wild, Bettys, have been co-opted members since last summer.

Existing board member Richard Wheeldon, Berwins Solicitors, has taken on the position of Harrogate BID deputy chair.

Harrogate BID chair Sara Ferguson said:

“I’d like to thank my fellow directors for placing their faith and trust me for the coming 12 months, and I’m proud to become Harrogate BID’s chair.

“I’m also delighted Richard Wheeldon, who has been involved with Harrogate BID since its inception, has agreed to become deputy chair.

“In officially welcoming the new board members, who bring with them a wealth of business experience, I’d like to thank those directors who stood down at the AGM, for their contribution over what was an exceptional 12 months in many ways.”

Harrogate BID pledges £60,000 to tackle homelessness

Harrogate Business Improvement District is to give the Harrogate Homeless Project £15,000 a year for the next four years.

The funding will go towards converting the lower hall at the Wesley Centre into a day centre for homeless people.

The sum is in addition to the £37,500 the church received from the National Lottery’s coronavirus community support fund.

The Wesley Centre will use the awards to install new toilets and refurbish the kitchen ready for the day centre services.

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Liz Hancock, chief executive of Harrogate Homeless Project, said it was “hugely grateful” to the BID:

“We will now be fundraising hard to realise some of the ambitions we have to extend our operating hours and expand health, wellbeing, skills and rehabilitation services.

“This significant donation will be over four years, allowing us to plan with certainty to develop this fundamental service.”

Sara Ferguson, acting chair of Harrrogate BID said:

“One of our key objectives is to make Harrogate town centre ‘safe, clean and welcoming’, and we see our partnership with Harrogate Homeless Project as a key driver in this.

“When homeless people gather in the town it can be intimidating for some people, and Springboard will offer them a sanctuary where they can go and receive the support they need.”