Harrogate BID Newsletter October 2024
Hello everyone and here’s the October Harrogate BID newsletter!
We’ve moved past spooky season now – and set our sights on the festive period in our town!
The traditional pumpkin patch we brought into the town centre transformed Library Gardens into a Halloween haven full of fun for all the family! We managed to sell-out across the two days, so a huge thank you to everyone that joined in.
This year’s Harrogate Music Weekender also proved to be another top success, with sold-out events and thousands reached via our different social media platforms.
Festive plans in Harrogate are well and truly in fully swing, with the Christmas Fayre set to launch at the end of this month. It’s such an important time of year for businesses in our town, so we fully support all of the initiatives and additional animation which help massively to drive footfall and spend into local companies.
During October we launched the ever-popular Christmas Shop Window Competition, with applications for entries already flying in. It’s set to look a bit different this year, so watch this space…
We also opened up applications for our Board of Directors for 2025. It’s important that all sectors within Harrogate’s business community are represented fairly on our Board. Our directors, including myself, are very passionate about continuing to improve our town centre and we want the right people involved to continue to do so.
Our teams on the street have been carrying on their fantastic work around the town centre, from conducting deep cleans and planned jet washes, to contributing to lowering crime and anti-social behaviour.
Yours sincerely,
Sara Ferguson
Harrogate BID Chair
Harrogate Music Weekender success
From sold-out events to thousands of users reached across different social media platforms, we were delighted to bring another successful weekend of musical fun to the town centre.
The second Harrogate Music Weekender event, held over the weekend of October 10th – 13th, proved to be another popular occasion across different venues in the North Yorkshire town. From a Taylor Swift tribute at Mama Doreen’s, to an Oompah Band at the newly refurbished Coach & Horses, there really was something on offer for everyone across the programme.
We have received plenty of fantastic feedback from its members, with one stating: “Thank you so much! We were so happy to have a sold-out event for the Music Weekender, it’s really great event idea and we can’t wait to get involved with what you have planned next.”
New creative lighting in Harrogate
Harrogate BID is excited to announce the official installation of new creative lighting in two key locations in the town centre.
Fully funded by the Business Improvement District (BID), the outdoor ceiling lighting has been placed along Beulah Street and the lights in the trees around the Cenotaph area have been improved as part of the organisation’s ongoing public realm and street dressing initiatives.
The aim of the fittings is to not only highlight key milestones and celebrations, but to offer a year-round visual spectacle for visitors, residents and local businesses.
Launch of Christmas Shop Window Competition 2024
Harrogate BID will be leading on this year’s Christmas Shop Window Competition, offering the chance to local businesses to decorate and get in the festive spirit.
The competition brings a vibrant, Christmas feel into the town centre every year offering businesses the chance to show off their shop front with dazzling decorations and displays.
This year, Harrogate BID is delighted to partner with the Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce to organise the competition.
The categories will feature shops, hotels, pubs and restaurants, professional services and a number of discretionary awards.
Another new addition this year will see a Harrogate BID Spirit of Christmas handed to a special individual who works hard every year to bring together the festive celebrations in the town.
Halloween fun in Harrogate
Harrogate BID was delighted to bring a series of Halloween fun into the town centre, with hundreds of families visiting the sell-out pop-up pumpkin patch and monster-themed trail.
The free patch, set up in Library Gardens over Tuesday October 29th and Wednesday October 30th, was the first time this has been done in Harrogate town centre – and proved to be a success with a very positive response from both visitors and residents.
One visitor said they had a fabulous time, suggesting the trail helped them to discover new shops around Harrogate. Meanwhile, others described the Halloween fun in Harrogate as “lovely” and “brilliant”.
Applications for Harrogate BID Board of Directors for 2025
Harrogate BID is pleased to launch applications for members of the town’s business community to join its Board of Directors for the upcoming year.
Each year the Business Improvement District (BID) offers the chance to business owners and representatives to put themselves forward to join the BID Board.
The BID wants to give every levy-paying business an opportunity to take part in the process of joining the 2025 Board, with applications now open until 5pm on Wednesday, November 6th.
To find out more, please click here.
Launch of Digital Harrogate Gift Card
The BID team are pleased to announce the launch of a new digital version of the Harrogate Gift Card to help lock spend into the local economy.
The Gift Card, which can be used at almost 100 businesses in the North Yorkshire town, is an initiative launched by the BID to increase spending with its members.
So far, the scheme has locked more than £140,000 into Harrogate’s local economy, with the BID consistently launching campaigns to boost this figure – from promoting the card as that perfect Christmas present, or a top wedding gift for a newly married couple.
The new digital option will allow people to store the cards on their phones, making it easier and more accessible.
Exclusive discount for BID Members at Harrogate Lifestyle Apartments
As a member of the Harrogate BID community, the team at Harrogate Lifestyle Apartments are excited to offer fellow BID members an exclusive discount on stays with them!
They are offering a 10% discount on all stays up to 01/01/26 on bookings made through their website.
To receive the discount code, please email our team on info@harrogatebid.co.uk
You can also visit the Harrogate Lifestyle Apartments website here to find out more.
Christmas BID Club in Harrogate
The annual Christmas Club hosted by the Harrogate BID team and Visit North Yorkshire returned at the end of October.
This year’s session was a fantastic opportunity to find out more about the 2024 Christmas offer in Harrogate.
Guests had the chance to hear all of the exciting plans from Visit North Yorkshire’s representatives – with a chance to ask any questions or queries they had too…
Session on Counter Terrorism and Martyn’s Law in Harrogate
As some of you may be aware, on September 12th this year, Martyn’s Law was introduced to Parliament.
This means that the public will be better protected against terrorism under new laws, requiring many public venues to improve planning against attacks and bring in measures to help keep people safe.
The new legislation, which is in tribute of Martyn Hett, who sadly lost his life alongside 21 others in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, will make sure venues across the UK must consider the security of the public, and take steps to protect them from harm.
On October 24th, we were pleased to welcome Figen Murray, Martyn Hett’s mother, to Harrogate.
Figen spoke about the legislation and her committed journey to bring this law into practice.
Harrogate Theatre board recruitment
Do you fancy joining the theatre board?! Well they’re currently looking for a new Chair and three additional Trustees!
The team are looking for people to share skills and experience to help develop and build upon achievements as an ambitious, valued and resilient cultural asset in the town.
The application deadline is Wednesday, November 6th – so get in touch as soon as possible if you think this suits you!
To find out more, visit the Harrogate Theatre website here.
Christmas range at L’Occitane
L’Occitane is excited to share it’s special range of gifts for the upcoming festive season…
The Deluxe Calendar features 27 treats rather than the usual 24 – including 6 full sized products…
Meanwhile, the limited edition Christmas ranges include healthy hand creams and gorgeous gift sets!
Head down to the store in Prospect Place to find out more!
HUQ update for October 2024
October saw the highest daily footfall of 2024 so far recorded on the 17th at 99,454.
The total footfall for the month was 1,633,387, with the town’s hotspots shown at Oxford Street, Albert Street and Parliament Street.
Meanwhile, people travelled from the likes of Southend-on-Sea, Rossendale, Poole and Altrincham to visit our town!
Keep an eye on our social media channels over the next few days for a full update…
Latest Harrogate BID Blog
The October edition of our Harrogate BID Blog has looked into the future of the high street the repurposing of spaces both in our town and further afield…
Featuring a guest appearance from a new business in Harrogate, the blog delves deeper into how the high street and its businesses are forced to adapt as we move further into the future.
We’ve also researched quirky and fun ways small businesses have taken on new ideas and transformed previously derelict units…