Column: Dan Siddle, Chair, Harrogate BID - ​The results are in, and it’s a yes vote!

The past five years have been quite something, and there is no doubt that since the BID launched, it has comprehensively delivered - the positive result we received confirms that. It was also fantastic to see the amount of support shown during the ballot period from businesses.

​We have become part of what Harrogate is all about, helping to shout about and celebrate what the town has to offer, to consumers and businesses alike. I am confident that our new five-year business plan and streamlined objectives will help shape the town further over the years to come to ensure Harrogate thrives long into the future.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us over the past five years. I’d like to thank Matthew, Bethany and Chris from the BID team, who are the brains behind the planning in the background, and the feet on the ground helping to deliver.

Also, thanks to my fellow members of the board, who have helped shape the plans, and provided a wonderful wealth of knowledge and experience from various sectors to ensure we represent all our members.

I look forward to working towards our aim to ensure a clean, safe, and attractive town centre which shines through to strengthen Harrogate’s environment for businesses, residents, and visitors. Thank you!

Now the ballot process is complete, we’re into July and the activity continues at full pace. We’ve been at the Great Yorkshire Show, braving the sun and the showers in the Discovery Zone, which has been a wonderful opportunity to showcase the town to the huge number in attendance.

We’re then straight into preparations for the Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration, a return of last year’s successful event.

We’ll once again be supporting businesses in town with a trail of unique floral stories, this time celebrating multi-national co-operation, including Harrogate’s twin towns, and other parts of the world we have links with, which have helped foster friendship and a deeper understanding of differing cultures. We’ll be welcoming the Britain in Bloom judges to see the trail, having been nominated as a 2023 finalist!

Beyond that we still have the last six months of this year, and the current business plan to complete, with Harrogate Beer Week, and Halloween entertainment to come, and before long Christmas will be in full swing.

With another term confirmed, the town has secured five more years of Christmas lights, funded by the BID, and we’ll continue to work with our partners to help deliver a fantastic festive celebration.

But enough about Christmas for now, let’s enjoy the sun, in-between the showers, and with the summer holidays around the corner, ensure we’re all visiting our fantastic town centre and supporting our local businesses.