A couple from Harrogate with an online jewellery business are to open their first physical store in the town’s Victoria Shopping Centre this weekend.
Sam McDermid and Neil Thompson set up Infinity & Co in 2014 selling jewellery gifts.
On Sunday they will open a shop under the same name in the former vaping store Tobacco Not Included in the shopping centre.
Ms McDermid said:
“We are absolutely delighted to be opening our first store in my hometown of Harrogate.
“I started my career in retail and it has always been a dream of mine to open my own shop.”
Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce has helped Victoria Shopping Centre to promote retail space for local organisations needing a boost during the pandemic.
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James White, Victoria Shopping Centre manager, said he was “thrilled” to welcome Infinity & Co, adding:
“We are very keen to play our part in the recovery of the retail and hospitality sector in Harrogate.
“We would love to hear from anyone who feels we might be able to help them, especially if they are interested in taking on a pop-up store or window display.”
Infinity & Co is giving away a pair of earrings worth £45 with every purchase during its first week.
Lack of Harrogate toilets could force shoppers to ‘go behind a bush’A Harrogate retailer has criticised the number of open public toilets in the town since shops reopened on Monday, saying shoppers could be forced “to go behind a bush”.
Bob Kennedy, who owns G23 and Porters in Harrogate, said his stores have had several customers this week who have travelled from outside Harrogate and cannot find anywhere to go when they need the toilet.
Harrogate Borough Council reopened its Valley Gardens and Library Gardens toilets on June 13. However, the toilets at Victoria Shopping Centre, which are not owned by the council, are currently closed until further notice.
Currently, the nearest public toilet to the town centre is Library Gardens, which Mr Kennedy said is ‘not good enough’ as it’s too far away for shoppers.
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With toilets in cafes and restaurants still unavailable, he suggested it could force people into some uncomfortable situations.
Mr Kennedy said:
“How can you say to people, ‘come to shop in Harrogate, but you better not drink anything because if you want to go to the loo you’re absolutely knackered unless you want to go behind a bush?’
“What about people who have small children? Where will they go? They’ll go up a back alley.”
Mr Kennedy, who was the chairman of the Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) until March when he resigned, also criticised Harrogate Borough Council and the BID for not providing alternatives to shoppers such as portaloos.
Harrogate BID declined to make a comment.
A spokesperson for the Victoria Shopping Centre told the Stray Ferret that its toilets will not reopen until they believe it is safe to do so.
They said:
“Initially when we open and until we are happy our plans around social distancing are working, we don’t intend to open the public toilets. It is important that we get a feel for how busy the shopping centre and town are before further reviewing. We are reviewing our risk assessments on a continuous basis and due to the narrow entrances to the toilets, we have concluded that for the time being, the public toilets will not be open.
“Our primary concern is opening the centre in a safe way and also considering the welfare of both customers, tenants and staff at all times.”