United Kingdom, Harrogate

Harrogate is a charming and vibrant Victorian spa town surrounded by the beautiful countryside of the Yorkshire Dales, and offers its residents an excellent quality of life. Famous for its tea shops, flower shows, Turkish baths, antique shops, and the Harrogate International Conference Centre. Surrounding the administrative centre of Harrogate, the Harrogate District comprises more than 500 square miles of attractive towns, villages, imposing historic houses, castles, cathedrals, abbeys and a galaxy of other natural and man-made attractions.

History

Until the 17th century Harrogate was just a quiet hamlet. Then in the late 16th century a man named William Slings by drank from a well. He had travelled to several spas and he realized the well water tasted like spa water.

During the 17th century Harrogate slowly grew. By the mid 17th century people bathed in a sulphur well (known as the stinking well) as well as drinking water from the chalybeate wells.

By 1800 Harrogate was really a large village but it grew rapidly in the 19th century. By 1831 it had a population of around 4,000. By the end of the century the population of Harrogate was around 25,000.

The population of Harrogate doubled in the last 15 years of the 19th century, the greater part of the town centre dating from the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. Its heyday as a spa came in the years before 1914, when European royalty were frequent visitors to the town.

The spa recovered some of its vitality in the 1920's and 1930's, but the practice of "taking the waters" fell into decline and Harrogate never recovered its pre-war eminence. In World War II, Harrogate's large hotels provided accommodation for Government offices evacuated from London which pointed the way to a more balanced post-war prosperity from tourism and as a commercial, conference and exhibition centre.

Location

Harrogate is located centrally in England, midway between the ports of Hull and Liverpool with ready access to London and Edinburgh and the Cathedral City of Ripon to the north, and first sprang to prominence as a Spa town. It is 504 square miles (133,060 hectares) in area and has a population of 152,900.

Economy

Harrogate is already home to an impressive range of national and international businesses, it is residential with a tourist and health resort, having more than 80 mineral springs. Harrogate is also a popular trade exhibition center and has varied light industry.

Culture

Harrogate's cosmopolitan charm and character owes much to its heritage as a popular Victorian spa town. Modern Harrogate is a major conference destination with a lively mixture of fabulous shopping, café culture, fine restaurants and plenty of green open spaces.

Beautifully landscaped gardens and graceful architecture will forever be hallmarks of Harrogate. But there have been some new developments recently, including imaginative makeovers for several main streets. A number of stylish cafe bars have introduced a little 'pavement café' culture to Harrogate.

The town is also famous for its associations with the great English crime novelist Agatha Christie, who "disappeared" here for a few days in the 1930s.

Sports

Harrogate Borough Council provides sports facilities, coaching courses, and casual hire for many activities across the District.  Sport and Leisure Centres are located in Harrogate, Ripon, Pateley Bridge and Boroughbridge.  The Council also operates five swimming pools, located in Harrogate, Ripon, Pateley Bridge, Knaresborough and Starbeck.

Transport

Leeds, Bradford and York are in easy commuting distance and there are very good rail links to London and other major U.K cities. Leeds Bradford Airport is less than thirty minutes away and offers both domestic and continental flights.