A NEW figure has been appointed to help a North Yorkshire town lure back visitors when it emerges from lockdown three.

Matthew Chapman will take up his new post as Harrogate BID's new manager on May 1.

He will be drawing on experience gained over the past six years promoting Yorkshire towns and cities, starting with his appointment in 2016 as Leeds BID operations manager.

In that role, he was responsible for the daily management of the organisation and supervising its street rangers, welcome and evening ambassadors.

In November 2019, Matthew was appointed Huddersfield’s BID manager, where he led on the organisation’s key aims to increase footfall in the town. This included introducing a dedicated town centre app, interactive trails, street art project and a new destination website.

Harrogate BID chair Sara Ferguson said: “Matthew was the standout candidate in our recent recruitment drive for a new manager. He brings with him experience of working with two major Yorkshire BIDS.

“We are very much looking forward to working with Matthew as Harrogate comes back to life from Covid-19 lockdown number three. He has some fantastic ideas for promoting Harrogate as a must-visit destination.”

Sara added: “I’d also like to say a big thank you to Simon Kent, who stood in as our interim manager at the start of the first Covid-19 lockdown a year ago. He has done a great job in promoting the town and supporting the businesses within it, and we are incredibly grateful to him for all he has done.”

Matthew said: “Harrogate is a fantastic town with so much to offer, and coming here as a regular visitor since my childhood, I know it well.

“Thanks to my roles with both Leeds BID and Huddersfield BID, I’ve gained a great deal of experience working with businesses, councils, tourism bodies and the police. Building teams and working with wider teams is a core strength of mine.

”I’m really looking forward to starting my new job helping to promote Harrogate as a wonderful destination to shop, eat and drink, and to ensure the town centre is clean, safe and welcoming to all.”