Column: ​Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID Manager - Support local businesses when you can

​Firstly, Harrogate BID had the ace news that we have being nominated to represent Yorkshire in the upcoming Britain in Bloom competition. This comes after us entering our first ever ‘Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration’ into the 2022 Yorkshire in Bloom competition, achieving a gold award and then having our campaign put forward to represent the County in 2023. As our initial objective was to put Harrogate back on the floral map, we have successfully achieved this – and in our own quirky and unique way!

Of course 2023 will see another Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration combined with plans for Mother’s Day, the King’s Coronation, a possible town centre fashion show, street entertainment, a Harrogate dog show, Father’s Day, the returning Harrogate Lego trail, Harrogate Beer Week, Halloween, exciting collaborations with Destination Harrogate & Harrogate International Festivals and dare I mention Christmas (we really do start this early with the planning!) – there is no doubt Harrogate will again be a hive of footfall-attracting activity.

This of course needs to be tied in with a welcoming environment and Harrogate BID will again have our superb Street Ranger, Chris, on the streets tackling those daily topics that help present Harrogate in the best possible way.

Together with our quarterly deep cleans, additional floral, team of Harrogate Hosts, street dressing, street art, shop-front match funding grants, working with landlords to utilise vacant units and working with partners to contest anti-social behaviour, our welcome will match any of those in the North of England. Harrogate is not immune to the challenges facing all town and city centres, but by working together with a clear, concerted plan, we can certainly confront them head on.

For those that don’t know all BIDs, to which there are more than 330 in the UK, have five year terms. In short, this basically means every five years we consult businesses within a set area about their current needs, challenges, desires, and from this we form a business plan. We then go to ‘ballot’ when businesses will be able to show their support for a BID.

Over the past two months the BID Team has spoken to more than 300 businesses on these aspirations, and very soon we will be launching our new five-year plan.

For anybody reading this that we haven’t yet managed to reach out to, or would just like to express any opinions on the future of Harrogate, please do feel free to get in touch via [email protected]

With all the challenges facing us, not only as a town but a country too, please do support local businesses, whether they be national chains or small independents, when and where you can – it really does make a difference.