Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper today insisted that for “several years” HBC tried to persuade the Christmas Market organisers to change its location from Montpellier Hill to elsewhere in the town.
This is despite a 2016 council-commissioned report that categorically concluded the site was the best location for the market in Harrogate.
The Conservative council leader issued a statement this afternoon that explained why the authority decided not to issue an events licence for Montpellier Hill to organiser Brian Dunsby of Yorkshire Business Market, citing concerns over visitor safety.
Cllr Cooper said:
“If we allowed the event organisers to ignore those concerns, licenced them to press ahead and, God forbid, there was an incident of some kind I know exactly what would happen.
“For several years, including this year, we have suggested other locations to the event organiser but these have been refused.”
Alternative sites
In 2016, HBC commissioned Malcolm Veigas Consultancy to review the Christmas Market and its impact on the district since it began in 2012, which included looking at six alternative sites it could move to.
The other sites were Valley Gardens, the Great Yorkshire Showground, Victoria Road, Cambridge Road/Oxford Street, the top of Montpellier and Dragon Road Car Park.
However, the report said the current site was the only location to receive a tick for all six requirements which included access, quiet enjoyment and “good atmospheric opportunities”.
The safety of visitors was not one of the considerations of the report’s authors when comparing the six sites with its current location.
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The report says:
“It is clear that YBM have a good understanding of how to manage and deliver an outdoor event and that they have chosen the best location in Harrogate Town Centre.”
It concluded:
“The review confirms that the Stray is the best location for events in the town and as such should continue to be used as the location for the Christmas event.”
The report was presented to HBC cabinet members in September 2016 and its recommendation to reject the alternative sites was voted by all senior HBC cabinet members, including Cllr Cooper.
“Breakdown in communications”
In his statement today, Cllr Cooper also accused organisers of trying to “galvanise public opinion” in an attempt to get the council to change its mind.
He added:
“A number of people have asked; ‘why haven’t we worked with the event organiser to allow it to continue?’ I can assure you, we have. We have had ongoing conversations to encourage them to address the concerns over a number of years, and we recognise that progress has been made.
“However, significant concerns remain and as the event organiser isn’t willing to address these, then we simply cannot grant a licence for this location.”
The 2016 report suggests ill-feeling has lingered between HBC and organisers for some time.
It refers to a “breakdown in communications” during the early years of the market which led to “mistrust on both sides”.
It appears history has repeated itself as Mr Dunsby was first made aware that HBC would not be issuing a licence when he was told by a Stray Ferret journalist yesterday evening.
Mr Dunsby said Montpellier Hill was the only suitable location for the market and told the Stray Ferret that he was “disgusted” by the council’s decision. He said he plans to appeal it.
The future of the market
It’s unclear what the future of the Christmas Market is at this stage.
Tonight Harrogate BID manager Matthew Chapman said the organisation is “open and willing” to work with all parties to ensure it happens “for the good of the town”.
Mr Chapman said:
Blues Bar owner: Christmas Market cancellation will have ‘long term repercussions’ for Harrogate“This news will be bitterly disappointing to the organisers who have done a fantastic job over the last nine years, firmly putting Harrogate Christmas Market on the festive shopping map.
“The pressing matter now is to ensure a Christmas Market can still proceed, particularly as 170 stallholders and scores coach companies are already signed up to it. However, safety must always come first, and I hope a new location, within the town centre, can be found quickly.
“The last thing we, and town centre retailers, want is to miss out on the opportunity of welcoming tens-of-thousands of visitors to the town for a day’s shopping, and the economic benefit this event ultimately brings.
“We, as an organisation, are open and willing to work in collaboration with all parties to ensure this event happens for the good of the town, and for the many businesses who are relying on a bumper four days of trade to help offset some of their losses brought about by three national covid lockdowns.”
A Harrogate bar owner has warned that the cancellation of Harrogate Christmas Market will have “long-term repercussions” on local businesses.
Simon Colgan, owner of the Blues Bar in Harrogate, criticised Harrogate Borough Council for cancelling the Christmas Market and says it will affect local trade.
The event was due to take place from November 18 to 21. A total of 170 traders and 53 coaches had booked to attend the event.
The council issued a statement yesterday evening saying “the event management plan did not fully take into account the risk of overcrowding and necessary evacuation procedures, counter-terrorism measures and the ongoing risk of covid”.
Mr Colgan told the Stray Ferret that he did not agree with the reasons put forward by HBC. He suggested if there were genuine concerns about covid, limited tickets could have been sold as happened at the recent Great Yorkshire Show and the Theakston’s Crime Writing Festival.
He said the council should be doing more to support local businesses after a difficult 18 months:
“Other towns bend over backwards [to support local businesses] and our council are doing nothing.
“This will have long term repercussions for Harrogate”
Mr Colgan said the Christmas Market is usually one of the best few days of trade in the year for the bar and music venue on Montpellier Parade.
He added:
“The Christmas Market is wonderful, it’s four of our best days of the year. It’s lovely.”
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Brian Dunsby, organiser of the Christmas Market, said this morning that he has still not spoken to anyone from the council after he first heard about the news through the Stray Ferret yesterday.
He said he does not have any contingency plans in place for alternative venues, such as the Great Yorkshire Showground. He said the showground “doesn’t serve the purpose” of supporting traders and businesses in Harrogate town centre.
He said he plans to appeal the decision by HBC.
The Stray Ferret asked Conservative Harrogate & Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones if he agreed with the council’s decision but we did not receive a response.
Virtual Christmas market created to boost Harrogate’s small businessesA Facebook group has been created as a platform for small local businesses to sell or promote their products after the cancellation of festive events across the Harrogate district this year.
Called the Harrogate Virtual Christmas Market 2020, the group gained 1,000 members in its first 72 hours, and has a growing list of 39 virtual stallholders. They are offering everything from handcrafted Christmas decorations to bespoke art to online photography lessons.
Tiffany Snowden, who created the group, said:
“I own a crafts business myself, and normally this time of year my weekends are filled November to December, but of course this hasn’t happened thanks to covid. There are national virtual markets that you had to pay £20 to join and there was lots of spam in them, but I did a quick check and there wasn’t a Harrogate one, so I decided to set one up.
“It is a way of showcasing those one-man bands that don’t have marketing potential, or don’t have enough time as they work full time too, and giving them a platform. It’s also a place to keep the money in the local community, so it’s not going to big shops or other parts of the country.”
Ms Snowden has a filter on the group that automatically allows those that live within forty miles of the Harrogate area to join, and after a consensus from stallholders, decided not to accept representatives or consultants attached to larger companies.
She explained:
“It’s not in the spirit of the market. People are putting their heart and soul into their products, and everything is all either hand-made or locally sourced. At a time when Christmas is so hard, people want handcrafted things and to feel like they’re supporting each other in buying their Christmas gifts.”
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Sellers have also agreed to give each other 10% discount on purchases that they make from each other, aiming to keep as much money as possible within the local community.
The online market will continue until Christmas Eve. If you’re a small business owner and interested in getting involved, visit the Facebook group or contact Tiffany on the platform.
Harrogate survey: a third of Christmas shopping in townPeople in Harrogate plan to do a third of their Christmas shopping in the town centre, as more people flock online.
The Stray Ferret worked with Your Poll by Judge Service to survey nearly 1,500 people in Harrogate. The survey is statistically robust.
All surveys with more than 1,000 respondents are statistically valid. Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill it out.
Where do you plan to do your Christmas shopping this year?
The survey found residents plan to do 30% of their Christmas shopping in Harrogate, 48% online and 16% elsewhere.
It will be important reading for the town’s businesses which hope, after a rough year, to have a bumper Christmas.
“Disappointed to lose the Christmas Market this year – I do a lot of my Christmas shopping there. Flower beds are gorgeous and love the lights in the trees.” – anon.
“The Christmas market is too early, not in long enough and is far too cramped. More seasonal markets would be good.” – anon.
Where do you plan to do your Christmas shopping?
The results from the survey also indicate, even though the majority head into town during the day, that residents only spend an hour to two hours there.
“Harrogate council needs to develop plans to respond to increasing online shopping by re-shaping the town centre over a period of time.” – anon.
“Harrogate is a great place to live, but work needs to be done to ensure it remains so. I hope that the town centre can endure.” – anon.
In the evening people are much more likely to spend two to three hours or even three to four hours in town.
Are you not entertained?
An improvement in the range of shopping and entertainment could bring more people into the town centre and for more time.
“A farmer style market regularly should be encouraged. A more diverse mix of shops should be encouraged.” – anon.
“A bowling alley would be ideal and would bring not just locals but people from outside the area into Harrogate” – anon.
More than 80% said there is “not enough” entertainment for young children and almost 90% said there is “not enough” entertainment for teenagers.
It contrasts quite strongly with the responses which said there are “too many” empty shops (97%) and charity shops (57%) in town.
Find the full survey results here.