Article - September 2010

Discover the hidden gem that sits atop the Forsyth Business Centre’s crown

Harrogate is one of Forsyth’s jewels in the crown of its serviced office business centres, and they are proud to have offices in Harrogate within their newly refurbished, central location. Forsyth @ Southfield, Station Parade is ideally located to benefit from all the town’s main shopping areas, bars and restaurants, railway station and business communities.

The building itself is of sturdy stone construction over 4 floors and has excellent views over the towns parkland (known as ‘The Stray’). The business centre benefits from on-site parking, a modern reception area, a passenger lift and several kitchenette facilities, as well as all the amenities associated with a modern business centre, including serviced offices, meeting rooms and virtual office services.

It is the perfect location for any new business start up in North Yorkshire or larger business looking to expand or relocate to the North of England.  To help you make your mind up we have highlighted a little bit about Harrogate’s history below.

Situated not only in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales, Harrogate is right in the middle of the UK too, and as such is a popular destination for conferences and exhibitions. This is highlighted by the fact that a national conference centre was built here in the 1980s, not only to reflect Harrogate’s great location, but because above all, Harrogate is a fine town to visit in the best sense of the word.

Originally Harrogate started off life as 2 small villages (High and Low Harrogate) and was best known as a stopping point near the historic market town of Knaresborough, with its ‘petrifying well’ and its most famous inhabitant, Mother Shipton, the 16th Century Soothsayer and Prophetess.

This was all soon to change though with the discovery in 1571 of a mineral spring by William Slingsby, who realised that the water in the newly discovered wells had the same properties as a town in Belgium called Spa, which subsequently gave its name to all spa towns around the world.

Harrogate then gained fame around Europe and became popular, especially in Victorian England, for the gentry to spend their holidays in a healthy atmosphere.  This fame led to the creation of the Stray, which is as an area of extensive grass and parkland popular for picnics, ball games and kite flying. 

The Royal baths and the Valley Gardens were also developed over the course of Harrogate’s prestigious heyday, as was the Georgian theatre, built in 1788 as a way to entertain the increasing number of visitors to the towns spa’s and wells.

Unfortunately the two world wars saw a decline in Harrogate’s popularity with the nobility and elite of Europe’s finest families, but instead of simply becoming a shadow of its former self, the town began to prosper in different ways. 

The large hotels, which were left behind as a remnant of previous popularity, became the ideal bases for government offices that had to be evacuated from London.  This eventually led to Harrogate’s current function as a centre for commerce, conferences and exhibitions.

With all this affluent history surrounding the now prosperous businesses that operate in Harrogate, it is understandable why the town has retained its Victorian charm and is well known as a place for the wealthy and successful to reside. 

As you can see, Harrogate is not simply a rough diamond with a lot of potential; it is more like a polished gem sitting in the middle of one of the most picturesque locations in England.

To learn more about any of Forsyth’s serviced offices in Harrogate, simply follow the link, or feel free to get in touch with any queries you may have about any of Forsyth’s services on 0800 731 5928.