Column: Making a success of Harrogate BID - Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID

​I should have taken more heed of how my own words and been more prepared for how busy we would be!

Already you’ll have seen our We Love Harrogate installation for Valentine’s Day and may have joined in the fun at our Mothering Fun Day Total Wipeout Challenge.

Now as the clocks change, and we leap into spring there is loads to be looking forward to, starting with the Harrogate Dog Show.

Following on from the success last year over the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations, this super event returns, and now with a star judge, Yorkshire Vet Peter Wright.

And talking of royal celebrations, we are busy making plans for the King’s Coronation later in the summer.

Plans are also well underway for the inaugural Harrogate Fashion Show, showcasing retailers big and small from across the town.

The Spring Flower Show will soon be here, and we’ll be there, launching the Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration which will look to build on the amazing campaign from last year which helped us to be nominated for the 2023 RHS Britain in Bloom UK Finals.

Recently you may have seen our Deep Clean Team out and about, improving the look, feel and presentation of our town.

This forms part of our objective ‘Safe, Clean and Welcoming’ and a vital part of this is that locals and visitors alike feel safe, and we’re heading a multi-agency approach to support businesses in the fight against anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

This is especially key with the recent report on North Yorkshire Police, and we will continue to collaborate to challenge these issues and support the work of charities like Harrogate Homeless Project, and Street Aid, and to campaign encourage everyone to report crimes to ensure we receive the correct level of support.

I was delighted to see the data provided from our partners at Destination Harrogate showing the contribution of visitors to the local economy exceeding national averages and reaffirming Harrogate’s position as a great place to visit.

I also look forward to seeing who has been nominated for the Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Awards this year – a fantastic event to celebrate the amazing people who provide the superb service to those visitors.

Next month we’ll be launching our Business Plan for a second term in the run up to the BID Ballot, based on feedback from our recent questionnaire.

It was fantastic to read the results and comments which validate the tremendous amount of work the team put into making a success of Harrogate BID by being involved in all the above and so much more.

A stark reminder as well, of the gaping hole that will be left if we’re not successful, and of all the additionality that will be lost.