Harrogate BID Newsletter April 2025
Hello everyone and welcome to the latest edition of the Harrogate BID monthly newsletter!
It’s been a busy month for team BID as we move further into our packed calendar of events for the year!
April saw the return of the Harrogate Dog Show, as thousands gathered to join in with the fun in the sun with their furry friends. The show also included a pets-themed market for the first time ever this year, which received very positive feedback from local businesses, residents and visitors to our town.
Representatives from the BID team also attended all four days of the Spring Flower Show towards the end of the month to shout about all things Harrogate and promote the town centre’s fantastic offer to a wider audience.
Preparations are well underway to bring the Harrogate Celebration of Fashion back to the Piazza area of the Victoria Shopping Centre – with the opportunity to get involved still open to local businesses and volunteers…
Our team have also been working alongside partners behind the scenes to host a VE Day commemoration, along with decorative displays, bunting and projections, to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.
We’re excited to deliver a super series of events, campaigns and services as we move into the summer months of 2025, so watch this space for further updates and announcements!
Yours sincerely,
Simon Midgley
BID Chair
Popular Celebration of Fashion event funded by Harrogate BID returns in just over a weeks time
A celebration of Harrogate’s impressive retail sector, organised by the Business Improvement District (BID), returns to the town centre in just over a weeks time.
The Harrogate Celebration of Fashion was created by the organisation to highlight the top range of national chains and local independents on offer within the North Yorkshire town.
The growing event returns to the Piazza area of the Victoria Shopping Centre on Saturday, May 17th – and the previous celebrations have gathered thousands of people into a key town centre location.
Some of the categories set to feature in the line-up for this year’s event include a summer season range, Harrogate on the high street and much more…
BID funds new flag bunting in Harrogate town centre
You may have noticed our town centre streets now lined with fresh bunting featuring red, white and blue flags and the new Harrogate brand logo…
The VE Day-themed flags are just one part of the commemorations planned for over the coming weeks in Harrogate during an important time of remembrance and reflection.
Meanwhile, the new Harrogate logo is involved in one of our latest projects to enhance and develop the wider promotion of our fantastic town!
As the BID, we carry out these projects as we know our town is known for its unique welcome. So, we’re always working to support this through eye-catching public realm and targeted campaigns.
Harrogate to host VE Day commemorations to mark 80th anniversary milestone
Harrogate is preparing to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day with a series of commemorations including artwork and installations and decorative lighting.
Thursday, May 8th this year marks 80 years since the Second World War came to an end in Europe. In response to the gap created by the Unitary Authority – and before the new Harrogate Town Council is introduced – groups in Harrogate have come together to create a wider commemorative plan for the North Yorkshire town.
Harrogate BID is pleased to work alongside the Charter Mayor Cllr Chris Aldred, Charter Trustees for Harrogate, The Royal British Legion, St Peter’s Church, Harrogate Army Foundation College, the Harrogate Band and the Air and Sea Cadets to bring the plan to fruition.
BID team attend Spring Flower Show to promote Harrogate’s offer, events and campaigns to wider audience
The Harrogate BID team were delighted to be in attendance at the Spring Flower Show to promote the town’s fantastic business community, events and targeted campaigns to a wider audience.
The show attracts thousands of visitors to the town every year, so the BID team see this as an excellent opportunity to not only shout about Harrogate’s offer, but highlight some of their events and campaigns coming up over the next few months.
As well as promoting Harrogate as a must visit destination, the BID team also used the opportunity to shout about some of their upcoming events including the Harrogate Celebration of Fashion in May, the Floral Summer of Celebration in July and the Lego Trail in August.
BID thrilled to deliver another successful Harrogate Dog Show as thousands gather to join fun in the sun
Harrogate BID was thrilled to deliver another successful Dog Show in April as the crowds gathered in their thousands to join in with the fun.
The event, held on the Piazza area of the Victoria Shopping Centre on Saturday April 12th, was regarded by local businesses, residents and visitors as beneficial for the town, with many saying they had a fantastic time either taking part or just watching from the sidelines!
Figures calculated at the Victoria Shopping Centre show that more than 15,000 passed through the centre and the Dog Show on the day, with the peak footfall recorded between 12pm and 4pm.
Meanwhile, figures from the BID’s data partners at HUQ show that the total footfall in the BID area on the day of the Dog Show was just over 48,000 – an increase of 36% on the total footfall during the Dog Show held in 2024.
The Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda Owen was in attendance to judge all of the categories and classes throughout the day – which saw Greater Swiss Mountain Dog ‘Sully’ take home the Best in Show prize.
Turkish Baths in bid for Good Spa Guide Award
We’re excited to share some fantastic news from one of our valued BID members – as Turkish Baths Harrogate has been announced as a finalist for ‘Best Traditional Spa Experience 2025’ in the prestigious Good Spa Awards!
This is a significant achievement for Turkish Baths Harrogate and a testament to the unique and high-quality experience they offer, further enhancing Harrogate’s reputation as a premier destination. Now, we have a wonderful opportunity to support them in securing the top spot!
Voting opened on May 1st and runs until May 31st, 2025. To make supporting them even more rewarding, everyone who votes will be entered into a draw to win a £300 spa voucher from the Good Spa Guide!
BID team feature on Greatest Hits Radio!
Matthew and Kiam from team BID in Harrogate were interviewed by Greatest Hits Radio recently on the topic of retail crime.
The pair were asked about how businesses in our town are impacted by retail crime and how the BID is working alongside partners to tackle the issue by delivering both campaigns and services…
Let us know if you tuned in on the day!
Latest BID Blog on Business Rates Reform
In the latest edition of our Harrogate BID Blog, we’ve looked into the Business Rates Reform, what the changes include and how they might impact our community.
As the BID in Harrogate, we consistently work hard to represent our town’s business community and share the Harrogate voice.
This includes understanding business needs, responding and adapting where necessary in support of our town.
We act as the voice for our town on a local, regional and national level to ensure our town receives what we know it deserves, so subjects including Business Rates are important to us as we’re always keen to share feedback and lobby with the relevant organisations for the good of our town!
In our town we have an eclectic mix of both large national chains and smaller independent businesses, so we are fully aware that these changes within the latest ‘Reform’ are likely to impact our town and its thriving business circle!
An evening evening with a TV personality in Harrogate
Get ready to meet Caroline Hawley, known for her expertise in the auction world and her appearances on BBC TV Bargain Hunt and Flog It.
Organised by Harrogate and District Soroptimists, the event promises an evening filled with insights, stories and maybe even a few surprises…
Head down and join the evening on May 16th at The Crown Hotel, you can even bring along an antique or collectable item to talk through with Caroline…
HUQ update from April 2025
Looking at the latest data update from HUQ, we can see that the total footfall for the month stands at 1,773,745.
The highest daily footfall was recorded on Friday, April 18th at a significant 98,938, while the lowest stood at 33,143 on Sunday, April 20th.
Some of the catchment area from April 2025 include Saint Helens, Cambridge, Gloucester and Barnet.
If you would like to see a further breakdown of any of the data from HUQ, please email our team on info@harrogatebid.co.uk