A NORTH Yorkshire town has been chosen to host the 2020 Conservative Party National Spring Forum.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the annual event when it is staged at Harrogate Convention Centre on April 3 and 4.

The event is expected to attract the party faithful as well as senior Conservative politicians. It will be one of the first national Conservative Party conference events following the UK’s departure from the EU on January 31.

Centre director Paula Lorimer said: “It’s hard for me to overstate what a major coup this is for the town and our venue. This comes after a number of big signings in 2019 and it sets us on a fantastic road for further success in 2020. In April the whole country will focus on events taking place in Harrogate. With thousands of visitors expected in town, the economic impact for the district is estimated to be more than £1.7million.”

In the general election, Conservative Andrew Jones was voted in to represent the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency. Cllr Richard Cooper, Harrogate Borough Council leader, said: “I know the effort which has gone into bringing this event here so congratulations and well done to everyone involved.

“The Spring Forum comes to Harrogate at a very interesting time for British politics so it’s a big vote of confidence and recognises us as a destination which has the facilities and experience to handle the event. I know Harrogate’s business community, not least our great independents, will come up with the goods once again, just as it always does when we welcome big events to town.”