Harrogate BID Newsletter February 2025
Hello all and welcome to the second Harrogate BID newsletter of 2025!
It’s been a busy year for us at the BID so far as we continue to work hard towards achieving our objectives and Business Plan as we move further into our second term.
Matthew and Bethany from team BID in Harrogate were honoured to be invited to represent UK BIDs at the City Connect conference in Rotterdam, sharing details on the positive initiatives we deliver as the BID, all while learning from other place managers on the resources we need to build resilience and be prepared better for the future.
Not only that, but Matthew and Bethany are also both finalists in this year’s Stray Ferret Business Awards! Our Chief Executive Matthew has been nominated for the ‘Dynamic Leader’ prize, while Bethany, Operations & Projects Executive at the BID, is a finalist in the ‘Employee Appreciation’ category. We can’t wait to attend the ceremony this week and wish the best of luck to all finalists!
We also partnered with Visit North Yorkshire earlier in the month, which offered the chance for the town’s business community to share their views while finding out more about pans for the future of Harrogate.
Late March will also see the return of the Harrogate Mothering Funday! Head into the town centre on the day to take part in the challenge to win a top prize for your mum, grandma or guardian! We are preparing to announce more details on this over the coming weeks…
Yours sincerely,
Simon Midgley
BID Chair
Harrogate BID team invited to represent UK BIDs at prestigious business event in Rotterdam
Members of the Harrogate BID team were thrilled to be invited to represent Business Improvement Districts from the UK at a prestigious overseas event in February.
The BID’s Chief Executive, Matthew Chapman and Operations and Projects Executive, Bethany Allen, attended the sold-out City Connect conference in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Matthew was invited along to speak on the work that the Business Improvement District carries out in Harrogate to maintain the North Yorkshire town’s reputation as a must-visit destination and a fantastic place to work, visit and live.
Matthew and Bethany from team BID delighted to reach finals in Stray Ferret Business Awards
Two members of team BID are delighted to reach the finals of The Stray Ferret Business Awards this year!
We’re very pleased to announce that Matthew Chapman and Bethany Allen from team BID have both been selected as finalists in this year’s awards.
Our Chief Executive Matthew has been nominated for the ‘Dynamic Leader’ prize, while Bethany, Operations & Projects Executive at the BID, is a finalist in the ‘Employee Appreciation’ category!
Matthew and Bethany are both honoured to reach the finals and thank the judges for their consideration.
We can’t wait for the awards ceremony in March to find out the winners… Good luck everyone!
Harrogate BID delighted to join Visit North Yorkshire partner event for town’s business community
The Harrogate BID team were delighted to be a part of a partnered networking event with Visit North Yorkshire earlier this week.
The event, held at the Mercer Art Gallery on Monday (February 10th) , offered the chance for the town’s business community to share their views while finding out more about pans for the future of Harrogate.
Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID Chief Executive, was offered the chance to present throughout the day on the organisation’s exciting plans to promote the town.
Harrogate Celebration of Fashion drop-in sessions
The Harrogate BID team are preparing to host two sessions to allow the town’s business community to find out more about this year’s Celebration of Fashion.
The popular celebration is set to return for the third time in May, with dates to be officially confirmed and announced over the coming weeks.
The informative sessions, offering the chance for BID members to find out further details on the fashion event, are set to be held on Wednesday 26th March at 4pm and Wednesday 1st April at 10am.
Please email info@harrogatebid.co.uk to find out more.
New locations confirmed to sell Harrogate Gift Card as BID expands scheme to boost local economy
Two new locations in Harrogate have confirmed they will now launch as a sales point for the Harrogate Gift Card as the town’s BID continues to expand the initiative.
The Business Improvement District (BID) is pleased to announce that the Turkish Baths and Mercer Art Gallery will now host terminals to purchase the Harrogate Gift Card, alongside Harrogate Bus Station which has sold the cards for a longer period.
The scheme has secured more than £170,000 of investment into the North Yorkshire town since its inception in 2019 – and the BID team are looking to build on this year-on-year.
Winner of ‘From Harrogate with Love’ delighted after beating thousands of entries to prize package
The winner of the BID’s ‘From Harrogate with Love’ competition is delighted after beating thousands of entries to claim the prize.
Claire O’Brien, who lives in Bilton with her husband and family, was announced as the winner of the Valentine’s-themed competition last week, beating out more than 3,500 entries from across the country – with people from as far as Edinburgh, Luton and Ipswich entering!
Claire, who said she found out about the competition through social media and listening to Your Harrogate on the radio, has now claimed the Harrogate-themed prize package, which includes a two-night stay at the popular Hotel du Vin in a prime town centre location, a luxurious, relaxing session at the Turkish Baths, a unique experience at the world renowned Betty’s and a Harrogate Gift Card worth £100 available to spent at almost 100 businesses in the town centre.
BID celebrates International Women’s Day
At Harrogate BID we are celebrating International Women’s Day in Harrogate using our new creative lighting!
The Cenotaph trees and Beulah Street were lit up in shades of pinks, celebrating all those inspiring women in our town and across the world.
The lighting has been installed to allow us to mark key milestones and celebrations across the year, so keep an eye out for updates!
Latest BID Blog
In the latest edition of our Harrogate BID Blog, we delved into the world of social media and how we use it!
The world of social media has become a huge part of everyday life – and the work we do as the BID in Harrogate is no exception.
Over recent years, much like everyone else in the business world, we’ve found that the use of social media has become a key part of the promotional aspect of our daily work as we look to spread the word and highlight Harrogate as a safe, clean and welcoming place for businesses, residents and visitors.
There are clear benefits of the use of social media for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), whether that be interacting and information sharing with our levy-paying members, building loyalty and relationships with key partners in our town all while publicising the constant work we do to deliver our Business Plan.
With more than 7,500 followers across our channels, we share constant updates on the campaigns, services and events we deliver to maintain our town’s reputation as the jewel in Yorkshire’s crown.
Footfall increase of more than 300,000!
The latest figures from HUQ show us that the total footfall from February 2025 had an increase of more than 325,000 on the same period in February 2024!
The total footfall for February 2025 is shown to be 1,326,467, an increase of over 325,000 on the same month last year! A full breakdown of the latest HUQ data can be viewed on the image above.
If you have any questions, or would like to see a specific data set, please email us on info@harrogatebid.co.uk
Sponsor a performance at Harrogate Theatre
Support local theatre and showcase your brand by sponsoring a performance of the award-winning pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk!
Benefits of sponsorship include entertaining opportunities, brand awareness including digital and social media promotion and pre-show drinks and exclusive opportunities.
You can find out more here: https://shorturl.at/ekU04
Holiday and Cruise show in Harrogate
The team at Althams Travel are preparing to host a special show with exclusive holiday offers, presentations and options to book on the day!
If you’re looking for ideas for a dream trip away this year, this could be your chance to grab some expert advice! Join them at the DoubleTree by Hilton Majestic Hotel and Spa on Sunday April 27th between 10.30am and 2.30pm.
There will also be chance to win prize draws on the day…
Consultation on Harrogate Concours Show on James Street
In June last year we at the BID were thrilled to support a number of partners and contacts to bring the first ever Veteran Car Tour of Yorkshire to Harrogate.
The showcase brought thousands of people into Harrogate to view the many unique and one of a kind classic and supercars.
In 2025, there is an aspiration to grow this event, and host on the full length of James Street on 21st June. This will include closing the road to traffic and parking restrictions from 9am – 4pm – but will provide a great visual spectacle which appeals to a broad spectrum of car enthusiasts and beyond.
We at the BID have been asked by North Yorkshire Council and the organisers to facilitate a consultation to our members (mostly James Street and adjoining streets please) to collate feedback and a set of data to support or challenge.