The departure of New Look from the town centre this week has led to concerns over what the Harrogate district offers to people on low incomes.
Its closure, which reportedly came despite the company’s wish to stay in Harrogate, follows the departure of M&Co in Ripon when that company went into administration.
While many large brands remain, alongside new and long-standing independent businesses, the budget end of the market is less well-served.
Other than Primark, affordable fashion – especially for men – is hard to find anywhere in the Harrogate district, especially following the departure of the likes of H&M in recent years.
The issue is recognised by local organisations working with people on low incomes, including Harrogate and District Community Action.
Its information and communications officer Angela Jones said:
“Local charities in Harrogate district recognise the challenges of finding affordable food and clothing in the current economic climate and are very active in supporting people facing food and clothing poverty.
“HADCA signposts people to organisations who can help, including through our Where To Turn directory. Local charity shops also play a vital role, recycling unwanted clothing at a lower cost, whilst fundraising for their causes.”
Mike Procter, co-ordinator of Harrogate Clothes Bank
Among the organisations supporting people who can’t afford to buy new clothes is Harrogate Clothes Bank.
Based on Hornbeam Park, the charity takes donations from individuals and passes them on to people who need them.
Its operations director, Mike Procter, said:
“We try to provide dignity to people who struggle to afford clothes. We try to create shopping experience.
“Everything we provide is free of charge. Customers can self-refer or be referred by a support organisation – no proof of referral or proof of low-income is required. We operate on a basis of trust.
“We have noticed a significant increase in customer numbers in last 12 months.”
The clothes bank was founded in 2016 by St Mark’s Church and is run by volunteers, including people of all faiths and none.
Last year, it saw 550 customers taking 8,000 items. It shared some of its clothes with other organisations, including Harrogate Homeless Project and the women’s refuge charity IDAS.
It also gave 700kg of clothing to a Ukrainian church via Harrogate’s Calvary Chapel, and 1,000kg to other clothes banks in West Yorkshire. A further 900kg of clothes were sold at a nominal price for reuse, recycling and repurposing.
The clothes bank is holding a fundraising end-of-season sale tomorrow, Saturday, March 4, from 10.30am to noon, with high-quality winter clothes for men, women, and children of all ages.
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Meanwhile, Harrogate Business Improvement District said it is working to ensure the town centre continues to deliver shops and services that meet the needs of all residents, as well as visitors.
BID manager Matthew Chapman said:
“The future of high streets is evolving into ‘mixed use’, so that whilst we absolutely champion national chains and independents, the direction is moving towards town centre living on second and third floors. Mixing with retail and hospitality and leisure and professional services will become the norm
“Latest data shows that 47 per cent more people are buying ‘own brands’ in supermarkets due to inflation, and the increase in the cost of living will affect where people buy their clothes.
“We continue to lobby the government to look to reform the way in which business rates are collected and collated, as well as encouraging landlords to make Harrogate a more appealing – and affordable – place to do business.”
Mr Chapman said the BID’s primary aim was to keep the town safe, clean and welcoming, as well as organising events designed to increase footfall.
While New Look may have left this week, the BID is working on a fashion show, to take place in May, promoting local fashion shops, hairdressers and jewellers. He added:
Hawico closes Harrogate shop after 28 years“It is always a shame when we see a well-known name leave the town, but Harrogate still has plenty to offer in terms of retail fashion outlets.”
A cashmere clothes shop in Harrogate has closed after 28 years.
Hawico on Montellier Parade was the first Hawico shop outside Scotland when it opened in 1995.
It has now closed, with the loss of two jobs, and the unit is vacant.
David Sanderson, a director of Hawico, said the company had been considering the shop’s future for some time. He added:
“We’ve been in Harrogate quite a while but it seems like it’s run its course. We can’t afford for this business not to pay and it got very marginal in Harrogate so we decided not to renew the lease.”
Mr Sanderson said trade at the store had got “harder and harder” in recent years, especially since covid.
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Hawico, a family business that makes clothes at a factory in Hawick, Scotland has 10 stores in Scotland, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.
Mr Sanderson said the site of the Harrogate shop was previously owned by another Scottish clothing company and the unit had provided “a little bit of Scotland in Harrogate for some time”.
It is the latest loss to Harrogate’s high street after the closure of Bijouled, which sold gifts and accessories on Parliament Street and fast fashion brand New Look, which was based in the Victoria Shopping Centre.
Bijouled is now closed
New Look in Harrogate to close
New Look is to close its store in Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre.
Signs have gone up in the window of the shop saying it will close on February 26.
The fashion retailer sells women’s clothing at its large Harrogate site, which is particularly popular with teenage girls.
A source at the store said customers and staff were “gutted and upset” at the news. They added that the company wanted to remain in Harrogate but finding a vacant store large enough had proved difficult.
The Stray Ferret understands about eight jobs are affected by the news. The nearest New Look shops are in Leeds and York.
A New Look spokesperson said:
“As part of the normal course of business, New Look occasionally closes sites, but also opens new stores when the right opportunities arise.
“Our most recent new openings were in November 2022 and we have plans for further openings in the first half of this year.”
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The Stray Ferret contacted the Victoria Shopping Centre this morning for further details but was told it had no information to share on the matter.
The news comes less than two weeks after River Island closed its Harrogate store.
New Look, which was founded in 1969, has about 440 shops in the UK.
Firefighters called to Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping CentreHarrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre closed this afternoon after a reported fire.
The centre shut at about 3pm and staff and shoppers were evacuated as firefighters were summoned to the scene.
Eyewitness Paul Ivison, from Harrogate, said people were told there had been a small electrical fire in one of the stores, believed to be New Look, but no major damage had occurred.
“Three fire engines arrived but there was no smoke seen.
“About 100 people were outside when all the tenants and shoppers had been evacuated. The whole centre and exterior units were closed.
“Everyone was very calm.”
The shopping centre reopened at about 3.30pm.
We will update this article when more information is available.
Pic: Paul Ivison
Pic: Paul Ivison
The new owners of a pub near Boroughbridge have unveiled a fresh look in the first part of major plans for the venue.
Three friends from Harrogate and York clubbed together to buy The Wild Swan in Minskip last summer. After running the pub for a few months they closed it in January for a refurbishment.
Supply issues caused by coronavirus delayed the reopening. What was only meant to take a few days ended up taking three weeks but the owners managed to open the doors today.
Diners enjoying The Wild Swan on reopening day.
Owners Stephen Lennox, Alex Bond and Alastair Benham have replaced the greens and yellows of the pub with more muted off-white tones.
While they are keen to make a name for themselves for the menu, which is under the direction of new head chef Liam Philbin, the trio also want to improve the pub in other ways for locals.
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Mr Lennox told the Stray Ferret today:
“The pub side has been improved in a cosmetic way. The restaurant side has had a total renovation with new flooring, new furniture and decorations.
“We’ve also improved the bathrooms and extended the kitchen. From the outside as well you can see the pub has had a refurbishment. We’ve painted the building, installed planters and outdoor seating.
“There wasn’t anything wrong with what it was before but it wasn’t what we wanted it to be. It’s a real freshen-up and brighten-up. We want to keep the country pub feel but put our own stamp on it.”
The dining room has undergone a major refurbishment.
The owners are also planning to convert a building at the back of the pub to make room for a private dining room and a microbrewery with a beer garden connecting the two.
Mr Lennox said he hoped those additional works would be completed by May.