Harrogate Convention Centre to reopen on June 26

Harrogate Convention Centre is set to re-open on 21 June when government guidelines permit.

Paula Lorimer, director of the centre, which has operated as a Nightingale hospital for the past year, said she was confident the venue would be ready to re-open by that date.

All restrictions on social distancing are due to be lifted on June 21.

Ms Lorimer said:

“Discussions with colleagues from the NHS about their plans for returning the Harrogate Convention Centre to us are on-going.

“However, we are confident that the venue will reopen from 21 June in-line with government restrictions ending.

“We have more than 30 confirmed events planned between June and next March, and a further 56 provisional events in the diary that we hope to confirm in due course.

“We also have more than 115 events confirmed and provisionally booked in the Royal Hall over the same period.”

The convention centre website currently lists events from May 6 in the ‘What’s On’ but says the dates are to be confirmed.

The first events listed after June 21 are Harrogate Proms on June 26 and Harrogate International Nursery Fair on June 27 to 29.

Ms Lorimer added that conferences, exhibitions and events had been “one of the most severely hit during the pandemic” but the industry would be back soon.

The loss-making convention centre is due to undergo a £47 million redevelopment amid concerns it will not survive without it.

Harrogate Borough Council has awarded Dutch firm Arcadis a £1.1 million contract to design plans for the first phase of the redevelopment.

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