As the Business Improvement District in Harrogate, we are always working hard towards delivering not only our overall Business Plan, but each of the unique objectives featured in the important document.
Throughout this edition of our BID Blog, we will look into the details of each objective and explain how we aim to complete and achieve them during our second term in our town.
Our first objective is titled ‘Pride in our Town’ and outlines how we aim to create a safe, clean and welcoming environment for all within Harrogate town centre. We aim to ensure pride shines through in our place through additional projects to strengthen the environment for businesses, residents and visitors.
Our Street Ranger service offer a proactive and reactive team, rapidly responding to cleaning and maintenance issues and acting as the eyes and ears on the ground and a regular point of contact for BID members. Over the last year, we have also brought the deep clean service in-house through the purchase of new equipment and training for staff. This has allowed us to deliver the cleans throughout the whole year, rather than just at key periods.
Meanwhile, our Town Centre Support Officer (TCSO) supports the effort to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in Harrogate by working alongside key partners to organise initiatives, surveys, sharing of important information and gathering vital evidence to help resolve any local issues.
As our town is known as a floral destination, we continue to champion our heritage through events – such as the Floral Summer of Celebration – and additional campaigns, planters, hanging baskets and other unique floral displays. We have won awards both locally, regionally and nationally and will continue to enter various competitions on an annual basis.
The high street is ever changing, not only in Harrogate but across the country, and the need to utilise vacant units will continue to alter in an ever-changing fashion. We aim to consistently engage with landlords and property owners to ensure our place looks the best it can.
Our street dressing campaigns also contribute to this. Harrogate is known for its unique welcome and through eye-catching public realm schemes, including fresh flag bunting and creative festoon lighting, we will help to stand our town out above the rest.
Moving onto our second objective – ‘A vibrant town’ – in which we create events and campaigns that not only promote Harrogate in a multitude of ways, but ensure that visitors travel to our place from far and wide to create a vibrant atmosphere around the town centre.
Through the footfall and spending increasing campaigns we deliver, including the likes of the Harrogate Dog Show, Celebration of Fashion, Lego Trail and Music Weekender to name a few, we offer a return on investment to our Members by driving people into the town centre to lead to increased levels of footfall and hopefully spend within our local economy. Unique experiences and animation develop Harrogate’s ambience through joyous street entertainment and distinctive installations which create an exciting energy.
Our town has been known for its warm, classy reception for many years and we fund various campaign and initiatives to ensure this is maintained, all while using wider promotional schemes to through digital and physical means to keep Harrogate on the map as a must-visit destination.
It was clear that during our first term partnership working was a key aspect to success. Therefore, we continue to lobby this togetherness locally, nationally and even internationally to both boost our business community and attract visitors.
During the consultation for our Business Plan, our Members told us that they wanted us to continue to lead on the town’s Christmas lights. We deliver each and every festive light in the town and intend to build on this to make the offer bigger and better every year.
Finally, through our ‘Voice and Vision’ objective we aim to act as the glue that brings our town together, all while not being afraid to raise our collective voice for the good of our town.
We recognise that the needs of our business community must be understood and will continue to be adaptable to these. From looking to reduce operational costs to delivering match funding grants, we will response as necessary.
We consistently act for businesses by lobbying with local, regional and national authorities and Government to ensure our town receives what it deserves to give our place a voice on the appropriate scale.
Harrogate is renowned as the ‘jewel in Yorkshire’s crown’ and we aim to create various long-term strategies to make sure this reputation is maintained for years to come. Our town’s offer is also crucial and we understand the importance of a positive blend of both national and independent businesses that make up our community. We act as the linchpin to engage and attract organisations to make sure our town is a super place to work, live, shop and visit.
Evidence has shown that a partnered approach has the best impact in all areas, so we continue to actively identify additional funding and opportunities to work together to make Harrogate the best place it can be.
If you have any questions regarding our Business Plan or the work we deliver as the BID, please email us on info@harrogatebid.co.uk