March has been a busy and positive month for Harrogate BID, with a strong focus on events and opportunities to support the town centre and our business community.
It was fantastic to see the return of Mothering Funday, with families coming into the town centre to take part in the Wipeout challenge and enjoy a fun day out. Events like this continue to play an important role in driving footfall and creating a vibrant atmosphere in the town.
We have also announced the return of the Harrogate Dog Show, which will take place on 11 April. This much-loved event continues to grow year-on-year, and we are looking forward to welcoming visitors and their four-legged friends back to the town centre.
During the Easter holidays this year, we are pleased to launch our first-ever Easter Trail, a free family activity designed to encourage visitors to explore the town centre while engaging with local businesses. We are grateful to the Crown Hotel and Tesco for supporting this initiative.
Beyond events, March has also been an important month for engagement and future planning. We hosted stakeholder sessions for the Harrogate Town of Culture 2028 bid, providing an opportunity for businesses and organisations to help shape the bid and share their views. Alongside this, we continue to review insights from our recent Town Centre Vision Survey, which will help inform future priorities and discussions with partners.
We are also pleased to be supporting initiatives that enhance the town centre environment, including the return of the Business is Blooming hanging basket scheme for summer 2026, helping to ensure Harrogate remains an attractive and welcoming destination.
In addition, we have seen strong interest from businesses to participate in the Great Yorkshire Show, where a dedicated Harrogate showcase area will be created. This “mini high street” concept will provide an exciting opportunity to promote Harrogate to a wider audience, and we look forward to developing this further.
As always, we remain focused on delivering value for our levy payers and supporting a thriving town centre. If you have any feedback or ideas, please do not hesitate to contact the BID team at: info@harrogatebid.co.uk
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours sincerely,
Simon Midgley
Chair, Harrogate BID
Harrogate Dog Show 2026
Saturday 11 April sees the return of the Harrogate Dog Show to the Victoria Shopping Centre Piazza.
The event continues to grow year-on-year and remains one of the town’s most popular family attractions. With strong engagement from businesses and visitors alike, we are expecting even greater footfall in 2026.
This year will also see the return of the Yorkshire Shepherdess, Amanda Owen, as star judge, alongside a programme of categories and a dog-themed market in the town centre.
A huge thanks to our members who have kindly sponsored this year’s categories.
Further details are available here.
Easter Trail Launch
The Easter Trail brought families into the town centre over the school holidays, offering a new free activity for visitors to enjoy while exploring local businesses.
Participants followed the trail across multiple locations, collecting letters to complete the challenge and redeem their Easter egg prize, with additional crafts, games and refreshments available at the Crown Hotel.
Thank you to all participating businesses and partners who helped make the launch of this new event a success.
Find out more here.
Harrogate Spring Flower Show – BID Member Opportunity
Harrogate BID will be attending the Harrogate Spring Flower Show from 23–26 April to promote the town to a wide regional audience.
We are offering BID members the opportunity to provide literature, offers, or promotional materials to be displayed on our stand.
This is a simple and effective way to showcase your business to visitors attending the show and encourage them into the town centre.
If you would like to be included, please contact the BID team at info@harrogatebid.co.uk and we will arrange collection or delivery of your materials.
Harrogate for Town of Culture 2028
Thank you to everyone who attended our recent stakeholder workshops to support the Harrogate Town of Culture 2028 bid.
Your input will play an important role in shaping the Expression of Interest to become the UK’s first Town of Culture.
Health in Harrogate: 200 Years
A major exhibition celebrating 200 years since the opening of Harrogate’s first hospital will take place this spring.
The exhibition will explore the town’s unique health, spa and medical history, alongside a programme of talks, walks and performances.
West Park Centre
6 April – 16 May
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
10:30am–3pm
Free entry
For more information, please visit the Harrogate Civic Society website here.
Town Centre Vision Survey
We are continuing to review feedback from our recent Town Centre Vision Survey.
The insights gathered will help inform future planning, investment priorities and discussions with North Yorkshire Council to support the long-term development of Harrogate.
Business is Blooming – Summer 2026
The Business is Blooming hanging basket scheme is now open for orders.
This subsidised initiative helps enhance business frontages and contributes to a vibrant and welcoming town centre environment during the summer months.
Order deadline: 10 April 2026
Find out more via the North Yorkshire Council website.
If you have any questions, you can also contact the North Yorkshire Council horticultural team at:
horticulturalnursery.har@northyorks.gov.uk
Great Yorkshire Show – Harrogate Showcase
We are pleased to be developing a dedicated Harrogate showcase area at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show in partnership with Your Harrogate.
This “mini high street” will feature a curated selection of local businesses and experiences, promoting Harrogate to thousands of visitors across the four-day event.
Thank you to all businesses who have expressed interest. Further updates will be shared in due course.
McDonald’s Reopens Following Refurbishment
McDonald’s on Cambridge Road has reopened following refurbishment works, with the Mayor of Harrogate, Councillor Chris Aldred, officially marking the reopening.
The investment reflects continued confidence in Harrogate town centre and contributes to the overall visitor offer.
Please note that places are limited and spaces will be allocated based on suitability to ensure the right balance and representation of Harrogate businesses.