Working to improve town

Working together, we’re building on projects and planning new initiatives to improve our town centre.

We’re also leading on new campaigns to encourage footfall. Our ‘Eat Out for £10’ initiative came to an end this week, and has engaged a wide range of venues. Restaurants such as The Orchid, Vivido, Scran, Las Iguanas and Essenza took part, alongside Farmhouse, Mama Doreen’s Emporium and William and Victoria. The response has been so good that we plan to bring the scheme back in February 2020, a traditionally quieter month for our food and drink sector. More is to come, too, as this November sees us celebrate Cocktail Month in time for the festive celebrations.

The BID is proud to support Harrogate at Christmas - a team of volunteers who work throughout the year to light up Christmas. Put Thursday 14 November in your diaries for The Big Switch On, which will take place from 4pm to 6pm on Oxford Street. The same day also sees the popular Harrogate Christmas Market open at 10am on the Stray in the Montpellier Quarter. The Harrogate Lantern Parade returns on Thursday 5 December, with over 200 children in the town centre, and we’re encouraging businesses to stay open late as parents, grandparents and friends attend the parade. Celebrate locally and shop locally! Harrogate Rotary are once more organising the Christmas Shop Window Competition; judging takes place on November 28.

Christmas always comes early in retail. One of the schemes we’ve been working on for our town centre in time for the festive season is the Harrogate Gift Card, which launches today (31 October).

Put simply, it works like a credit card. You load it up to the amount you want to gift, and it can then be spent in a wide range of shops and businesses across the town centre. Just look out for the Harrogate Gift Card sign in store windows or at the till. By using the Harrogate Gift Card, you’ll know that all money will be spent in our local economy. It’s a great way to show loyalty and to support local businesses. The Harrogate Gift Card can be purchased at the Harrogate Tourist Information Centre, Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate Bus Station or online.

Find out more at www.harrogategiftcard.co.uk – where you’ll also find a full list of venues where you can use the card.

Over 75 businesses accept the Harrogate Gift Card and we expect this to grow. You can use it in big brands like Marks and Spencer, Primark and HMV, to independents like Bijouled and Imagined Things bookstore.

Some of our town’s longest standing and respected independent family businesses are taking part, including the iconic jewellery store, Ogden’s. It was a pleasure to be photographed with Robert Ogden to promote the Harrogate Gift Card.

You can also use it in cafes such as Baltzersens, Bean and Bud, and the Westminster Arcade Tea Room, or dine out at Konak Meze or Las Iguanas, grab drinks from Revolucion de Cuba, The Inn at Cheltenham Parade or Harrogate Wines. It’s the perfect gift for that someone you never know what to buy for – they can choose from cheese from the Cheeseboard to pampering gifts from H2K, The Yorkshire Soap Company or Molton Brown. Or they can actually buy fashion they want (rather than the lumpy Christmas jumper) from shops such as Sophie Likes, Crew Clothing or Lynx Menswear. Even your pets can get a treat as the family business A.P & K Stothard Pet Store accepts the Gift Card!

Please support your local businesses this Christmas.