Harrogate Business Improvement District is encouraging local people and visitors to ‘share the love’ of the town in a new Valentine’s campaign.

Neon lights, a pop-up love heart and other props have been installed in Montpellier Street, on Swedish-inspired coffee house Fi:k’s exterior wall, as part of the We Love Harrogate initiative.

From tomorrow, passers-by will be invited to share just why they love Harrogate by posting photographs on social media platforms. Those doing so could win a range of prizes.

The campaign has been created by BID project manager Jo Caswell, who has worked with Fi:K and town centre florists Blamey’s to create the love heart made from artificial roses.

Harrogate BID manager Matthew Chapman said:

“Harrogate is a lovely town, and this campaign is all about people, residents and visitors, sharing their love for it.

“We have chosen Montpellier Street as we want to attract visitors to different parts of the town, so they can explore the great shops, bars and restaurants this area has to offer.

“We want to see pictures of individuals, couples, families, friends and pets, getting into the spirit and sharing their photographs on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.”

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Blamey’s is giving away a floral bouquet to the person who correctly guesses the number of roses used in the creation of the love heart.

The competition can be entered by scanning a QR code near the display.

Those entering who include the hashtag #sharetheloveHG1 will also be in with a chance of winning a £150 Harrogate Gift Card and a £60 Bettys afternoon tea voucher.

A selection of photos will be framed and hung alongside the love heart from Tuesday next week.

The We Love Harrogate campaign builds on last year’s I Love Harrogate video, where primary school children from St Peter’s, Coppice Valley, Birstwith & Admiral Long, Oatlands, Richard Taylor, and Western spoke about what they loved most about their home town.

A fitness studio in central Harrogate has closed today with immediate effect.

Lear, on Montpellier Street, offered pilates classes, along with personal training, physiotherapy and sports massage.

However, a message sent to customers at lunchtime today said:

“With great sadness and regret, we have had to close Lear Harrogate with immediate effect.

“All classes and appointments from today onwards have been cancelled.”

There was no further information provided, but the Harrogate branch’s social media accounts have all been closed. Reference to the Harrogate studio has also been removed from the Lear health partners website.

The business’ other branch, in Leamington Spa, appears to be trading still, and has posted on social media in the last few days.

It is not known whether any jobs have been lost as a result of the closure, nor whether any members have lost out on sessions they had already paid for.

The Stray Ferret contacted the parent company for a comment but had not received a response by the time of publication.

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Lear Harrogate offered membership packages for £99 and £139 a month, as well as pay-as-you-go options including pilates classes at £19 each.

Earlier this year, a planning application was submitted to turn the ground floor of the building into retail space, with 11 new one-bedroom apartments on the first and second floors, as well as a new third floor.

However, new plans were submitted in December showing the number of apartments had been reduced to eight, on the first and second floors only.

The third floor and roof terrace were no longer planned, with a “high performance ‘warm roof’ built up flat roof” instead. The number of windows on the first and second floors had also been reduced.

This story is sponsored by Aurélie 

Having lived in Paris in her 20s, Lucy Robinson always dreamed of owning her own clothing boutique.

Her wish came true when she launched her fashion brand Aurélie after her travel PR business was hit by the pandemic.

Now, the Harrogate business owner is bringing her online Parisian-style clothing collection to the high street with her first ever pop-up in her hometown.

The event will take place at handmade British ethical Jewellers India Mahon, in Montpellier Street, on Friday 18 and Saturday, November 19 from 10am to 6pm.

During the pop-up, Aurélie will be showcasing the brand’s Autumn/Winter collection, which includes a selection of tailored coats and jackets, cosy knitwear, jeans, shirts and blouses, plus Aurelie’s first ever party wear collection.

Lucy, who worked for a leading luxury fashion PR agency when she lived in Paris, launched Aurélie in January 2021.

She said:

“When the pandemic hit my travel PR business, I had a lightbulb moment and realised I wanted to go back to my fashion roots.

“I spent a lot of time in Paris and worked with some major luxury fashion brands, so I knew where to get hold of beautiful French clothing.

“I used savings to buy stock and off we went. I started off in the spare bedroom at home and I now have an office and showroom at Windsor House with a small team working for me.”

Harrogate business owner, Lucy Robinson, is behind fashion business Aurélie.

Lucy, who attended Harrogate Ladies College, is keen to showcase her clothing to fashion-lovers in the town following its growing success nationally.

Currently customers can make an appointment to visit Windsor House to view the collection, however the pop-up will allow customers to experience Aurélie on the high street.

There will be the chance to try on and purchase pieces from the sustainable brand, which aims to create timeless looks, featuring contemporary shapes that can be seamlessly styled with existing wardrobe items.

Lucy, who takes pride in curating an edited collection of beautiful, timeless clothing for Aurélie, will be on hand throughout the pop-up to offer personal styling sessions.

She said:

“People will be able to see the full collection, which also includes our first partywear collection. I will be there to offer advice and there will also be fizz available!”

For more information or to book a personal shopping appointment at Windsor House: Email: lucy@aurelie.co.uk or find Aurélie on Facebook and Instagram: @aurelie.co.uk 

A new hair and beauty salon is set to open on Harrogate’s Montpellier Street next month.

Allertons, which currently has two salons in Leeds and one in Nottingham, will take over the space previously occupied by Lifestyle Lounge.

Founder Nicholas Nicola said he’d lived in north Leeds all his life and always hoped to open a salon in Harrogate because he believed his brand would be well suited to the town.

Mr Nicola said Allertons hoped to bring something “new and fresh” to Harrogate and plans to start welcoming clients by February 22.

The left shows how the shop will look once the re-fit is complete.

The quick conversion of the premises aims to encourage Lifestyle Lounge customers to move their appointments to Allertons.

Mr Nicola said he has invested about £100,000 in the re-fit. The studio will open just one of its three floors at first with four members of staff.

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He added the other two floors will open in the months ahead and the team will grow to 16 staff offering hair and beauty treatments. He said job opportunities were still available:

“We think it will be well received. We aren’t led by fashion but what the clients want from root tints to bright blue. Harrogate already has so many lovely salons and hopefully we can bring something different.”