Harrogate BID’s cleaning crew has been out and about in the town centre on weed removal duties.

For three nights in a row the contractors – who in spring cleansed much of the town centre ahead of the reopening of shops – pulled, dug and used herbicides on unwanted plants across a wide area of the town centre, including Victoria Avenue, Cambridge Street, Albert Street, Crescent Road and Oxford Street.

One of the remits of the Business Improvement District is to enhance the appearance of the town centre, which over the last 18 months has seen it power washing pavements and street furniture, increasing floral displays and wrapping empty shop windows.

Harrogate BID Manager Matthew Chapman said: “Because the weeds in the town centre being a major talking point, we asked our contractors to come in to help tackle the problem.

“The team worked for a number of nights pulling weeds by hand, using garden tools as well as spraying them with an environmentally-safe herbicide.

“With autumn and winter just around the corner, we hope this work will mean they are kept at bay until the spring.

“For our Levy payers, it’s imperative that Harrogate looks at its best at all times, and that’s what we are working hard to achieve.”