Businesses in Harrogate will begin voting on June 1 on whether to continue to fund services such as street cleaning and Christmas lights.
Currently 462 town centre businesses with a rateable value above £19,000 pay a levy to Harrogate Business Improvement District.
The BID spends the money on additional services to those provided by local authorities to attract footfall into the town centre.
But its first five-year term is ending and it will cease operating if a majority of businesses vote ‘no’ to another five-year term.
BID chief executive Matthew Chapman at last night’s event.
Last night Matthew Chapman, chief executive of the BID, launched the organisation’s term two business plan at the Doubletree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel.
The plan reveals the BID is forecast to have £510,000 income a year — down on current £554,000 a year — because of a recent re-evaluation of rateable values on town centre businesses.
Mr Chapman said the BID, like many businesses, would have to “do more with less” but he maintained the organisation provided a valuable service through activities such as its street ranger Chris Ashby, street deep cleaning, Christmas lights, match-funded grants, street entertainment, targeted free parking and floral baskets and planters.
Street ranger Chris Ashby
Locally, Ripon, York, Leeds, Skipton, Ilkley, Otley, Bradford and Northallerton have bids although Knaresborough rejected one.
The business plan says:
“Harrogate BID is needed more than ever before and we ask you to please use your ballot paper to vote ‘yes’.”
Council to abstain in vote
However, the BID won’t be able to call on the local authority to support its bid — unlike five years ago.
Harrogate Borough Council previously used its block vote for businesses it ran to vote in favour of the BID.
But North Yorkshire Council, which replaced it this month, has said it will abstain.
Asked last night how he felt about this, Mr Chapman said:
“It’s a little disappointing but it could also be positive because it will be a true business vote.”
Mr Chapman added he wasn’t aware of any other councils that abstained in BID votes.
The ballot will run from June 1 to 28 and the result will be announced on June 29.
Read more:
- Harrogate BID to launch campaign for second term
- Crime commissioner’s office to move to Harrogate Police Station
Stray Ferret Business Award: Unsung Hero Finalists
The Unsung Hero Award is sponsored by The Big Bamboo Agency.
The Harrogate marketing and PR firm provides creative solutions to its clients.
The company’s expertise is delivering specialist strategies, brand development and website and social media management.
The Unsung Hero Award is designed to shine a light on individuals who are not only integral to the day to day, but are prepared to go the extra mile without prompt or payment.
The Finalists
Kayti Mewis, Mumbler
Kayti joined Mumbler as volunteer after moving to Harrogate and is now the Content Creator and Social Media Manager.
Sally Haslewood, Founder of Mumbler, said,
“Kayti immediately got stuck in and wrote countless blogs for me, all focused on her life as a young mum in Harrogate.
“Kayti is a joy to work with. To be honest, I don’t know what I would have done if she’d turned down the role, as she had fast become my right-hand woman”.
Kayti has added value across the whole company, including working in the sales sector, creating inspiration for parents during lockdown and is even due to co-present the Harrogate Mumbler Awards in November.
Kayti Mewis said:
“I’m absolutely delighted to be nominated for this award – let alone shortlisted! Harrogate Mumbler is such an important resource for parents and carers in the area.
“Harrogate is a great place for families to live, and having a job which involves shouting about how great it is, is brilliant!”
Chris Ashby, Harrogate BID
In 2021, Harrogate BID recruited Chris Ashby to deep cleaning Harrogate town centre.
As the town’s Street Ranger Chris Ashby has delivered staggering results from his work and faced situations no one wants to face.
He has removed 126 graffiti tags, improved 38 building façades, disposed of 57 used needles and painted numerous bits of street furniture.
His actions in July last year hit the headlines when he rescued a person he found hanging from a tree in the town centre.
Matthew Chapman, Manager of Harrogate BID, said:
“We nominated Chris as, not only is the work he delivers top notch and making an evidential difference on a daily basis, but he is also somewhat of a Harrogate Ambassador. Chris reacts to the day job instantly, is offering regular and positive good mornings, hellos, helping with directions, alongside supporting some of the most vulnerable.
“As a sole person covering a huge area, Chris’s work has now become the norm. We have nominated him because, if there wasn’t a Chris, Harrogate would be very different place”.
Jago Wallace, Himalayan Garden
Jago Wallace’s “quiet determination” and passion for gardening has found him shortlisted for Unsung Hero.
Jago, a gardener at Ripon’s Himalayan Garden, began his horticulture career aged 17 and, six years later, has full responsibility for the gardens Plant Nursery. He also oversees the gardens National Collection of Rhododendrons. His duties involve knowledgeable plant care, training others, writing reports, keeping plant records and hosting talks and tours of the collection.
Jago always acts as a media spokesperson for the garden and is continuously developing new ideas for activities and features within the business.
Jago’s colleagues describe him as “a humble, gentle soul, who always surprises with his humour, willingness and knowledge”.
Jago said:
“It’s lovely to have been picked as a finalist for this award. Working at such an amazing garden with rare and incredibly interesting plants, the conservation we do helps these plants that are in danger in the wild from habitat loss, is hugely rewarding work.
“Being able to do this where I grew up and live makes what I do feel even more magical.”
The Stray Ferret Business Award event sponsor is Prosperis. To find more and to purchase tickets for the big night, click here.
Harrogate’s first street ranger given licence to ‘fight grime’Harrogate Business Improvement District has given its new street ranger a licence to fight grime.
It may not be as glamorous a role as James Bond’s, but street ranger Chris Ashby is set to become a familiar figure in the town centre.
Mr Ashby’s job is to give visitors a better first impression of Harrogate by cleaning, painting and pointing out anti-social behaviour.
His work is in addition to Harrogate BID’s four major deep-cleans in a year and Harrogate Borough Council’s usual street cleaning work.
Harrogate BID manager Matthew Chapman said the role was a key part of the organisation’s ambition to create a ‘safe, clean and welcoming’ town centre. He added:
“Harrogate is the jewel in Yorkshire’s crown, and Chris will be there to give it an extra sparkle.
“The council already does a great job in terms of ridding pavements of litter, and Chris will be building on their day-to-day work.
“His battery-powered vehicle will carry a variety of tools including brushes, bin bags and a power washer allowing him to quickly react to any unsightly or hazardous incident that businesses might report, and what and he sees with his own eyes.”
Read more:
- Residents petition calls on council to reject Harrogate Tesco plans
- Harrogate BID ‘waste of money’, says pub landlord
Mr Ashby said:
“Living in Harrogate, I’m aware of a what a very special town it is.
“I’m really looking forward to taking on this new role with Harrogate BID and getting to know business owners and levy payers as I carry out my grime fighting duties.”