Mike Jarvis, who works at food shop COOK on West Park, is inviting other residents, businesses and community groups in Harrogate to embrace the event on June 22, and maybe even do something similar on their own respective streets.

He hopes that the party will help to build a stronger sense of community and possibly develop friendships.

Mike said: “I think any sort of community get together has the potential to introduce people both to each other, and to ideas. Face to face interaction is hugely important, and at COOK it’s part of our purpose- to support the high street and the community.

Mike Jarvis, who works at food shop COOK on West Park, is inviting other residents, businesses and community groups in Harrogate to embrace the event on June 22,

“I’m sure there is isolation and loneliness in Harrogate, and it won’t be solved by this event, but if we introduce just a few people to new friends then that’s a success.”

In a thread on Twitter, Mike suggested ideas for what businesses could do for the West Park and Tower Street street party, or for other street parties in the town.

He tweeted: “I am organising a street party in the spirit of ‘we have far more in common than that which divides us’ - how about all the businesses do something a little different on the day?

“A poetry reading at a shoe shop, a small play in a restaurant, yoga on the pavement outside a frozen food shop, cake tasting at a dress shop? There’s loads we could do to make this a happy community day.”

Mike hopes the atmosphere of the street party will be a celebratory one. He said: “I hope Harrogate gets involved not just as spectators but as participants. We are all interdependent on others, so let’s use this to explore and understand our community ties.”

Email Mike at: [email protected] if you would like to support the street party.

A summer street party is coming to Harrogate town centre - here's everything you need to know