Last week we focused on one of our home towns – Wakefield – so we thought it only fair that the others got a turn! So, this week we’re going to be taking a look at the very special town which is Harrogate.
Harrogate became the second place we launched McCarthy’s Storage World back in 2012, following on from our very first storage centre at our head office in Leeds. If you google Harrogate you’ll find a multitude of articles naming it the best place to live in the UK. In fact, just in December, Rightmove named it the second happiest place to live in Britain, after Hexham in the North East. It’s one of the reasons house prices are higher than other places in Yorkshire (the average being more than £341,000. Still noticeably less than the third place on the list – Richmond-upon-Thames – at £815,000!)
It’s easy to see why Harrogate is so popular. It’s a beautiful town, full of independent shops, cafes and restaurants. There’s Victorian architecture, a great sense of community, plenty of recreational activities and spaces, good schools – and of course not forgetting the world famous Betty’s. The much loved Yorkshire Tea brand also calls Harrogate home.
Harrogate first became famous for its spa waters as far back as the 16th century and over the following two centuries there were a steady stream of wealthy visitors keen to take the waters. That meant that by the 18th Century it was a popular spa resort. The Royal Pump Room was built in 1842 and the Grade II listed building can still be visited today. It is home to Europe’s strongest sulphur well and a museum showcasing the town’s spa history.
People still flock to the Turkish Baths – Britain’s most fully restored Victorian Turkish baths. Only seven now remain which date back to the 19th century. Historic and elegant, the baths have a Moorish design with Islamic arches and screens, walls of vibrant glazed brickwork, arabesque painted ceilings and terrazzo floors. A blissful place to relax and feel rejuvenated!
The Harrogate International Centre exhibition and conference venue is one of the largest in Europe, attracting a variety of events (including the Eurovision Song Contest in 1982!). The town is also home to the famous Great Yorkshire Show. There’s lots of green space within Harrogate, with the spectacular RHS Harlow Carr gardens, the big grassed area of the Stray and Valley Gardens park, with plenty to do for all the family. Of course the town itself is also surrounded by the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales.
And who can forget that crime writer Agatha Christie was famously discovered in a Harrogate hotel in 1926 after a nationwide search following her mysterious disappearance from her Surrey home? It’s always been the place to be.
Our Harrogate self storage facility on Ripon Road underwent an extension this time last year which saw us increase capacity by 50 per cent. Storage units range from the 16 sq ft (about the size of an old telephone box) to 500 sq ft – along with a larger warehouse style unit. The units are alarmed and the site is monitored by CCTV and onsite security. With unique pin code access to the storage centre and your own lock on your individual unit, you can be confident your items are kept safe and secure. You can also gain access as and when you need to. Many pick and pack operations and businesses are based there, with wifi, power and heating available if needed, and many individuals also have units to help provide extra space at home – whether it’s for general storage or linked to a house move or building work taking place.
Whilst on lockdown our self storage facilities remain open for use by the emergency and essential services which use our storage units. However, if spending more time at home has got you thinking that once this is all over you may need some personal or business storage then we’ll be here ready and waiting when the time comes!