Harrogate Business Improvement District manager Matthew Chapman will leave the organisation in November to take up a new position at North Yorkshire Council.
Mr Chapman, who took up the role in May last year, was previously Leeds BID operations manager in 2016 before becoming Huddersfield’s BID manager in November 2019.
Businesses within Harrogate’s town centre pay the BID 1.5% of their rateable value a year on top of their usual business rates.
Harrogate BID brings in around £500,000 from local firms, which it spends on projects to improve the town and increase the number of visitors.
During Mr Chapman’s 18 months in Harrogate, BID campaigns include power washing 80,000 square metres of the town centre, painting drab walls with colourful murals and buying over 500 pieces of outdoor furniture for businesses to use.
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He is set to take up a managerial role within North Yorkshire Council, which is the new council that will replace Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council from April.
Harrogate BID chair Sara Ferguson paid tribute to Mr Chapman in a statement and said the search for his replacement had begun.
Flaxby factory could send 300 homes to Guernsey“Since joining us in May 2021, Matt has been a highly effective, dedicated and extremely popular BID manager. I have certainly enjoyed our working relationship, and that is echoed by all my fellow directors.
“During his time with us, he has become one of the most recognised faces in the town centre. He’s built terrific relationships with the district and county councils, business organisations and business owners and their employees.
“We will be extremely sorry to see Matt go, but the good news for us, and the town centre, is that he will continue to play a role within the organisation, offering guidance and support to the board and BID team, within a part-time role to aid the recruitment process and ensure a smooth transition and handover.
“The BID team is now primed to continue delivering the high impact projects which benefit the town as a whole, and the job of finding Matt’s replacement has now begun.”
Flaxby-based modular housing developer Ilke Homes could manufacture 332 homes for a new housing scheme in Guernsey.
They would be built at Ilke’s factory and transported to Guernsey to be constructed on-site.
The Channel Islands Co-operative submitted plans for the development this week and include a car park and supermarket.
Nigel Banks, special projects manager for Ilke Homes, told the BBC:
“We have focussed on having homes that are very well insulated, they are also built using very sustainable materials – we have a big focus on having low emissions to the structures.
“The floors are manufactured then put on a trailer and transported to a harbour, then put on a charter vessel and then transported at night to the location.”
Harrogate BID to host culture and inclusion meeting
Harrogate BID will host a meeting next week at Hustle & Co in Harrogate.
Jane Slimming, founder of Culco, an organisation which helps businesses implement cultural programmes, will be the key speaker at the meeting. She is also CEO of Zeal, a Digital and Creative Agency.
Ms. Slimming is expected to speak about subjects around improving workplace culture and inclusion, the future of the workplace, and recruitment.
Jane Slimming
Harrogate Borough Council has worked closely with the company, helping businesses across Yorkshire. It also funded workshop participation hosted by Culco earlier this year.
Harrogate BID will also hear about plans for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in Harrogate.
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Harrogate BID cleans gum and grime ‘hot spots’
Harrogate BID (Business Improvement District) has sent a crew to steam clean and jet wash ‘hot spots’ across the town centre.
Ahead of the Easter holidays, the BID has paid a team from UK Nationwide Cleaning to spend ten nights removing grime and chewing gum.
Harrogate BID manager Matthew Chapman said:
“Walking around the town centre, it is clear to see where our cleaning team have been, giving pavements a much needed deep clean.
“Our cleaning crew is working across numerous areas, making sure the town centre looks in pristine condition for the traditional start of the 2022 tourism season.
“In the first ever survey asking Levy Payers what they wanted us to do, cleaning was the priority, and with our cleaning contractors, together with our Street Ranger, this is what we are delivering.
“This is the first of a number of visits this year for our cleaning crew, and they will be back on at least two more occasions cleaning different parts of the BID area.”
Harrogate was the first town in the district to form a BID in 2019. Almost 500 businesses pay 1.5% of their rateable value each year.
It’s estimated that the Harrogate BID brings in around £500,000 from levy payers annually.
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