Harrogate is a North Yorkshire town, with a population of 85,000



people. The town became a fashionable spa town in the sixteenth

century, attracting masses of tourism and industry, and many still

visit today for the spa baths and historical sights. Other than

monuments and museums set up to explore and educate about the town's

industrial history, there are numerous castles and historical

battlegrounds that make interesting historical visits.

Harrogate is home to 33 restaurants recommended by The Good Restaurant

Guide, and an array of bistros, wine bars and upmarket pubs. There are

also a variety of nightclubs and club nights, making for a busy

nightlife in the town centre. Shopping facilities are plentiful, with

much of them inside the town and not located in out-of-the-way shopping

malls. Much of the town centre is old and elegant, with much to see and

do.

History

The history of Harrogate dates back to the Roman period, when farming

hamlets were located on the site. A farming and textile industry was

flourishing by the twelfth century, but the spring that was discovered

in the sixteenth century triggered the area's development into a

fashionable, thriving spa town. More wells were discovered later, and

the original still stands in the town centre.

The Royal Pump Room Museum contains exhibits exploring the area's

history as a spa town, and comprises a reproduced sixteenth century

town for visitors to wander around. Knaresborough is home to a medieval

castle museum, and the cave once lived in by a twelfth century hermit

and 'holy man'.

Art Galleries

Mercer Art Gallery is home to more than 2000 nineteenth and twentieth

century pieces of fine art, photography, sculpture and craft works, and

comprises two separate galleries. The gallery regularly hosts temporary

exhibitions and art events.

The Gasgoine Gallery is an impressive private collection, including

works by Picasso and Salvador Dali, and a large selection of glass

works. New exhibitions are displayed every three works and all items

are for sale.

The SMART Gallery exhibits and sells original art, sculptures and

ceramics; and McTague Gallery trades in watercolours, oil paintings,

twentieth-century prints, and genre and decorative prints.

Theatres

Harrogate is home to a civic theatre, numerous performance spaces and the

most successful youth theatre in the country.

The Harrogate Theatre is a Grade II listed building, opened in 1900,

and comprising two auditoria. Performances include large-scale touring

productions, one-night entertainments and 5 of its own in-house

productions; and there are films shown on Monday evenings.

Harrogate International Centre is an office complex, conferencing

facility, hotel, exhibition hall and theatre, hosting a range of events

and entertainment, including concerts, drama and festivals, with

seating for more than 2000 people.

Restaurants

The Courtyard Restaurant serves contemporary British cuisine, and holds

an AA rosette. The restaurant is located in former livery stables, and

offers a choice of indoor and outdoor seating. Sasso is a fine dining

Italian restaurant, and another of the 33 restaurants currently

recommended by Good Restaurant Guide.

Loch Fyne Oyster Bar and Restaurant serves classic and unique seafood

dishes in lavish surroundings, with a wine list comprising wines and

champagnes hand picked from French vineyards.

Harrogate's branch of Wing Wah, serving traditional Far Eastern

cuisine, has two themed levels; the bright and contemporary 'Modern

Tranquil Room' on the ground, and the oriental-influenced 'Traditional

Blossom Room' upstairs.

Pubs/Bars

The Lounge is the bar in the Carringtons bar, restaurant and nightclub

complex, and is stylish and upmarket, but relaxed and comfortable.

There is a wide drinks selection and live evening entertainment.

The William and Victoria Restaurant and Wine Bar has a bar downstairs,

serving drinks from an extensive wine list, in traditional, wood

fixtured surroundings.

Montpellier Parade is home to Blues Bar, a pub and live blues music

venue, Hedley's Wine and Food Bar, Montpellier and The Slug and

Lettuce.

Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA recommend numerous pubs in the area, and

voted The Spite Inn 'Pub of the Season' in Winter 2006.

Nightclubs

The nightclub in Carringtons bar, restaurant and nightclub complex

presents 70s and 80s chart music four nights a week, and attracts a

young professional clientele. The club hosts the popular 'Heaven and

Hell' on Wednesdays, and has a capacity of 600 people.

Club XS is an indie/alternative club, open three nights a week and

offering indie rock, 'cheese', metal, punk and emo. The club has a

capacity of 300 people.

Ministry of Sound Minibar is separated into four themed zones, with

unusual and stylish d'cor and state of the art sound and

lighting equipment. The club is open from Thursday to Saturday, and

licensed until 4am.

Shopping

Harrogate town centre is home to more than 20 antiques retailers, and all the

major high street and department stores located within a short walk of

each other on Cambridge Street and Parliament Street.

Close by is The Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre, comprising 4 levels

and more than 30 stores. Retailers currently based in the units include

Bay Trading, La Senza and WHSmith; there are also a number of cafes and

coffee bars.

Lightwater Valley Theme Park and Shopping Village is located in Ripon,

and is home to eight stores and a restaurant.

Sports

The Hydro is one of four leisure centres, and comprises 3 pools, a

fitness centre, a cr?che and a caf?. There is also a gym

with state of the art fitness equipment. Knaresborough Pool is a

popular choice for families, with its hot water bubble pool, water

flume and large shallow section.

The National Centre for Combat Martial Arts is a training gym and

teaching centre, offering a choice of group and individual tuition.

Martial arts range from Kung Fu, Kickboxing, Tai Chi, Chi Kung and

Yoga.

Ripon Sailing Club offers racing, tuition and relaxing breaks on its

20-acre lake, and boats are available for private hire on weekends.

The Harrogate Golf Club was established in the nineteenth century and

offers a challenging game of golf on its 6250-yard course. Oakdale is

slightly larger, at 6456-yards.