NHS Nightingale blow for Harrogate economy as hospital will stay in place until 2021

The news that the Nightingale is required until March 2021 in case there is a new spike in coronavirous cases in the coming months undermines the chances of the town's vital conference, live entertainment and visitor economy reviving strongly in the next nine months as the temporary hospital's location effects both Harrogate Convention Centre and the Royal Hall.

Major business leaders today tried to stay positive about Harrogate's prospects but did not attempt to hide the scale of the setback.

Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) acting chair Sara Ferguson said: “This is a blow for Harrogate’s conference and exhibition trade. We need to do all we can to ensure those events due to take place whilst the Convention Centre, Royal Hall and exhibition halls are offered alternative accommodation within the town, be it within hotels or at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

“Harrogate BID will help in whatever way it can, which could include sponsoring shuttle buses between the town centre and the Show Ground. We are also looking at a series of events that we can stage as a way of bringing people into town on a regular basis.”

Sandra Doherty, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said: “While Harrogate has never completely relied on the conference and exhibition trade, it has been the business which underpins the leisure trade.

“There are very few towns and cities that are not coastal and which can rely on tourism totally. Perhaps York is the only one which comes to mind. The leisure tourists are perhaps the jam filling in the cake, whereas in Harrogate the business visitors are actually the icing.