BID encourages pupils to give the gift of Harrogate to their top teachers at the end of termHollywood star goes shopping in HarrogateHarrogate shop owners launch initiative to raise awarenessHarrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre celebrates 30th birthday

Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre will begin 11 days of celebrations this week marking its 30th birthday.

Tomorrow’s official birthday date will see visitors receive a free birthday cupcake from 10am at the centre.

The celebrations will then continue until November 20, adopting a ‘looking back’ theme.

A screen installed on the ground floor will show photos and videos of the centre, as well as news clips from the last 30 years.

People are being inviting to send their own images or videos to be included on the screen, creating a community time capsule. They can be uploaded on the centre’s website.

A birthday party from 11am to 3pm on November 19 and 20 will include visits from favourite 1990s movie characters, including Lightning McQueen on the Saturday and The Terminator on the Sunday.

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Giant 90s themed props will also appear throughout the centre to provide selfie opportunities.

There will also be a free photobooth on the first floor and family party games, crafts and prizes on the ground floor.

James White, centre manager, said:

“We are hoping that our birthday party will be an opportunity to bring together a town that is full of pride about its own history, something that Victoria Shopping centre greatly represents.”

 

 

 

 

Fashion retailer Jules B to open in Harrogate

Fashion retailer Jules B is to open a shop in Harrogate at the start of September.

The shop, which will be in the former Jaeger unit on Cambridge Crescent, will sell only womenswear.

It becomes the latest national retailer this month to confirm plans to move to Harrogate, after Oliver Bonas and Pret A Manger.

Julian Blades, managing director of Jules B, said its brands “will be perfect for the sophisticated customer demographic in Harrogate and surrounding areas”.

He added:

“We have wanted to open in Harrogate for a very long time but never found the right location but once I saw that the old Jaeger unit was available we decided the time was right.

“The store will be purely womenswear and we have some very exciting new collections that I’m sure will prove very popular with the discerning public.

“We will be looking for four full time members of staff and two part time, preferably with a good fashion retail background.”

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Mr Blades and his wife, Rhona, opened their first womenswear store in Jesmond in 1984.

The retailer offers collections by designers, including Hugo Boss, Armani, Victoria Beckham, Barbour and Vivienne Westwood.

Jackie Wilson, property manager for landlord Hornbeam Park Developments, said:

“We are delighted to have secured award-winning independent retailer Jules B as a tenant in the former Jaeger Shop on Cambridge Crescent; a great addition to the high street which will enhance the shopping experience of locals and visitors alike.”

Harrogate gets another pop-up shop as demand soars

The Victoria Shopping Centre in Harrogate is to get a second pop-up shop in the run-up to Christmas.

The company behind the initiative, Barker Proudlove, said it had seen a surge in enquiries in the run-up to the festive season and was confident it could fill another unit.

The pop-up shops give independent businesses the chance to rent units in the centre of Harrogate on a weekly basis without having to commit to long-term rents and rates.

The first one opened in the Victoria Shopping Centre on the corner of Cambridge Street in September and is already fully booked until Christmas,

Following its success, the former Grape Tree health food shop is also to become a pop-up.

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Jessica Swain, from Barker Proudlove, said:

“It is incredible that we have so much demand for the pop up shop and we are thrilled to continue working with the Victoria Centre team to bring more businesses to Harrogate’s high street during the seasonal period.”

The new pop-up will open with Martha and Bea, a clothing and accessory business from Ilkley, on Monday.

Barker and Proudlove said there were still opportunities to hire the new unit this month and in December.

The Cambridge Street shop currently houses 2 Little Mice, with Jane Gales Designs arriving next week followed by Posh Tat on November 15.

Caption: New pop-up shop unit in Victoria Shopping Centre (left) the first tenant will be independent shop Martha and Bea (right)

Harrogate BID launches online shopping directory with the Stray Ferret

Harrogate BID and the Stray Ferret have joined forces to launch a new online shopping directory to support local businesses in the run-up to Christmas.

The Shop Harrogate Online site will provide customers with a one-stop-shop to buy from local retailers forced to move online by the coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

People will be able to find and buy from fashion, homeware, food and drink, and beauty retailers, as well as finding services such as accountants, lawyers and other local professionals.

Sara Ferguson, Harrogate BID acting chair, said:

“We are delighted that Harrogate BID is partnering with The Stray Ferret to power this special page to encourage people to ‘Shop Harrogate Online’.

There are so many businesses that are continuing to trade during this second lockdown, and the directory will help them promote their services. For those looking to make purchases locally, it is a single point of reference.

Remember, when you Shop Harrogate Online, you are helping support the Harrogate economy and safeguard local livelihoods and jobs.

And don’t forget you can also purchase the Harrogate Gift Card, which is accepted by more than 100 local shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. Every £1 loaded on to a card means £1 kept within the local economy.”

Businesses across the Harrogate district can list their website for free at thestrayferret.co.uk/shoplocal

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Independent café opens in Harrogate Next store

An Italian independent café has opened on the top floor of Next in Harrogate town centre.

Caffe Masserella opened to the public for the first time on Wednesday. Next Harrogate is the fourth retail shop Caffe Masserella has moved into in Yorkshire.

Jake Earnshaw, Store Manager at Next, Harrogate said:

“Next were looking for some independents, mostly it’s chains in Next stores so they thought in Harrogate it would be nice to have an independent. It has been really busy, they exceeded what they needed to take on Wednesday. It has been buzzing.”

Caffe Masserella has a history dating back over 150 years when Giovanni Massarella and his brothers arrived in the UK from Italy.

Giovanni’s family downline used their Italian heritage to start an ice cream business in the 1950s before opening cafés across the UK.

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Aiden Gambles, Manager at Harrogate’s Caffe Massarella said:

“The opening was meant to happen post-lockdown but now the ball’s rolling. I like to make everybody happy spending time in my cafe. It’s slightly different with covid procedures but we’re getting used to it. It’s an exciting time for me and the team I have here.”

Caffe Masserella’s menu includes a variety of artisan sandwiches, sweet treats and hot drinks.

COLUMN: Harrogate retailers may not survive the months following lockdown

This column is written for The Stray Ferret by Bob Kennedy, Chair of the Harrogate BID (Business Improvement District) which aims to promote the town centre.  Mr Kennedy is the owner of G23 and Porters menswear stores in Harrogate. 

Where do we go from here?  This is the question on many retailers’ minds up and down the country. I’m an independent retailer with two shops in Harrogate and one in Ilkley. We have been trading our G23 and Porters stores in Harrogate since 1993 and so whilst I can only guess at the situation for the major national chains, I do believe I understand the independents problems and particularly in my home town of Harrogate.

Retail has been a struggle for many in Harrogate over the last few years. We can clearly see this with the likes of H&M, Topshop, Cath Kidson, Gap and now Jack Wills all deciding to leave, but what is causing this downturn in Harrogate’s fortunes?

There are many reasons nationally why high streets are struggling and these debates seem to go on and on with little being done to make the changes needed.

Some blame greedy landlords and this might have been the case in the past but in my experience landlords seem willing to talk now and are willing to negotiate new rental terms.

Then there’s the internet. We all know how easy it is particularly at Christmas to sit at home and order online but this is a big reason for the decline in footfall. If we want to have a lovely town centre we need to support the shops in the town centre. Ilkley is a great example of locals supporting the town.

Next up is car parking. Whether it’s expensive to park or not, car parking seems to be a real issue. People hate paying to park. They hate having to look at their watch and dash off before they get a ticket. As a retailer, it always amazes me that there are so many traffic wardens constantly patrolling Harrogate and so few police. It’s no wonder people choose to visit a retail park with free parking or shop online.

Lastly, retailers have been faced with crazy business rates over the last few years. The amount of money we have been paying the government / local authority over the last few years has been extortionate. I personally pay around £50’000 a year and in return receive nothing, they don’t even empty the bins!

So, how are the retailers of Harrogate going to fair after lockdown?

There’s no doubt that some will fold, collapse into administration before lockdown lifts but my worry is the six months after lockdown. Many will be able to survive during lockdown, after all, the landlords seem to be holding off and trying to share the burden, business rates have been cancelled until April 2021 and the government is giving 80% support to cover wages for staff on furlough. Suppliers to shops like mine are being fair, not pushing for payment and trying to find ways to support.

No, I think we will be fine for a few months of lockdown. The problem comes when we reopen.

Let’s hope that we eventually begin to see a decline in coronavirus and we can reopen our stores at the end of May.  It’s at this point we may have some problems.  Although restrictions will have been somewhat lifted, social distancing will still be advised and people will be wary of catching the virus. This will mean that footfall in shops will be severely down. Maybe only thirty to forty percent of the usual footfall pre coronavirus, but it’ll mean there’s much less money going through the tills. We’ll be open again so the patient suppliers will want paying for all their summer stock but we’ve not had a chance to sell it and they will want to deliver the Autumn ranges. The landlords will want paying, after all, you’re open, you’re trading. Lastly, your staff will be back at work and therefore there is no more support from the government to cover wages. All of this for possibly six months, with a reduced footfall of possibly thirty to forty percent. For many stores across the country this will not add up.

Support for the high street and your town centre has never been needed more. Organisations like the Harrogate BID are working hard to try and make Harrogate a great place to visit this Autumn but support from government, Harrogate Borough Council and the people of Harrogate is also needed. Without this we could see a very different looking Harrogate next year.