REVEALED: North Yorkshire Council ‘not considering’ sale of Harrogate Convention Centre

It comes as a decision day on a proposed £49m redevelopment moves nearer.

The new council inherited a plan to upgrade the facility from the now-abolished Harrogate Borough Council so it can better compete with rival convention centres in the north.

Harrogate Convention Centre opened in 1982 with conferences providing a boost to the town’s bars, restaurants and hotels, however, it has struggled to turned a profit.

It still remains unclear how North Yorkshire Council, which is looking to slash £70m from its budget over the next three years, will pay for the redevelopment.

A decision is planned later this summer and if approved, construction work could begin early next year.

North Yorkshire Council’s Conservative deputy leader, Councillor Gareth Dadd, said: “Design work is progressing for the Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment project and we are working towards a decision relating to the construction work early in 2024.

"We will continue to explore any external funding opportunities that arise in the future and in the interim.

“We have not received any offers of private investment nor have we been considering a sale.”

A council report published earlier this year described Harrogate Convention Centre as the largest driver of economic impact in the district with many venues depending on the business through its conferences and exhibitions.

Using Visit Britain methodology, the report predicted the Convention Centre will boost the local economy by £31m during 2022/23.

If the redevelopment goes ahead, it’s hoped the upgrades will increase the centre’s visitor numbers from 147,000 in 2020 to 192,000 in 2040, with profits of £29m over a 40-year period.

In February, Harrogate Borough Council failed in its £20m Levelling Up Fund bid for the redevelopment but at the time, Harrogate Convention Centre boss Paula Lorimer suggested the council would bid again for funding in its third round.

Ms Lorimer warned that Harrogate would “wither on the vine” if its convention centre ever closed.