These are the shops which have signed up to new Harrogate Gift Card

Harrogate BID is all set for the exciting launch of a new Harrogate Gift Card - just a week after losing its manager and already 75 businesses and shops have signed up to it.
By Graham Chalmers
Published 31st Oct 2019, 16:09 BST
Updated 1st Nov 2019, 09:42 BST
Harrogate BID chair John Fox with Kimhun Kanjan, assistant manager of The Orchid restaurant which has taken part in BID's Eat Out for 10 initiative.Harrogate BID chair John Fox with Kimhun Kanjan, assistant manager of The Orchid restaurant which has taken part in BID's Eat Out for 10 initiative.
Harrogate BID chair John Fox with Kimhun Kanjan, assistant manager of The Orchid restaurant which has taken part in BID's Eat Out for 10 initiative.

Chair John Fox says it is business as usual after news first broke of the departure of Elizabath Murphy from the prime role in the business promotion group after just four months.

Writing in this week’s Harrogate Advertiser, Mr Fox said new initiatives were now coming on stream all the time to encourage footfall in Harrogate town centre.

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He said: “More than 75 businesses have signed up for the Harrogate Gift Card which will be launched in mid-November.

Boost for Harrogate town centre shops - Harrogate BID chair John Fox with the new Harrogate Gift Card (not real size!).Boost for Harrogate town centre shops - Harrogate BID chair John Fox with the new Harrogate Gift Card (not real size!).
Boost for Harrogate town centre shops - Harrogate BID chair John Fox with the new Harrogate Gift Card (not real size!).

“Our ‘Eat Out for £10’ initiative came to an end this week but the response has been so good that we plan to bring the scheme back in February 2020.”

This is what Harrogate politicians think of General Election at ChristmasSince it was launched in January, after town centre businesses voted by 82% for the formation of the Harrogate Business Improvement District last October, the new group has found itself under pressure from businesses complaining about an increasing range of issues.

But, armed with a potential budget of £3 million over a five-year period raised from a levy of local businesses, Harrogate BID has now set out a lengthy list of promotional activity in the run-up to Christmas.

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It has also been boosted by the numbers and types of businesses in Harrogate town centre who are backing the new Harrogate Gift Card.

Designed to work like a credit card, shoppers can load it up to the amount they want to gift, and it can then be spent in any shop or business displaying the Harrogate Gift Card sign in store windows or at the till.

The names who’ve signed up to the new scheme in Harrogate range from major national chains to the smallest independents, from book shops to cafes, clothes stores to luxury beauty suppliers, M&S to Imagined Things.

Even one of the leading businesses behind pressure group Independent Harrogate, has thrown its weight behind the success of the card.

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Mr Fox said: “Some of our town’s longest-standing and most respected independent family businesses are taking part, including the iconic jewellery store, Ogden’s.

“When people use the card, they will know that all money will be spent in our local economy. The Harrogate Gift Card is a great way to show loyalty to local businesses.”

Harrogate BID is also supporting a series of festive events to boost trade in the town centre, including Harrogate Christmas Market.

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Related topics:HarrogateJohn Fox