93-463: Principal Hotel Company is a British hotel and conference venue operator headquartered in Harrogate , England. A predecessor company was founded in 1984. In 1992, when the chain had 18 properties, it went bankrupt during a recession. Two years later, in 1994, a former operations director of the chain, Tony Troy, led a management buyout for £68 million by Bridgepoint Capital. In 2001, Principal Hotels
186-464: A CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P800) that allows flights for passenger transport and flight training. The airport operates scheduled flights to many European destinations and a limited number of domestic destinations. It is the highest airport in England at an elevation of 681 ft (208 m). By the number of passengers handled in 2022, Leeds Bradford was the 13th busiest airport in
279-583: A Royal Air Force supply depot and logistics centre on St George's Road in the south-west of the town, but this closed down in 1994. During the Second World War , RAF Harrogate was used as a training establishment for medical staff and recruit training for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force . There are many fine examples of architecture about the town. The only Grade I listed building in Harrogate
372-440: A shadow factory to the north of the aerodrome to manufacture military aircraft . The factory was connected to the aerodrome by a taxiway from where the aircraft made their way to make their maiden flights . The Avro factory was camouflaged , its roof disguised as a field with dummy cattle and agricultural buildings so that from the air it resembled the surrounding fields. Large numbers of houses were constructed nearby to house
465-530: A terminal building but progress was halted after a single wing had been completed. During this time, the German zeppelin LZ 129 Hindenburg overflew the aerodrome and while the flight was claimed to be for publicity purposes, it was later found to have been engaged in espionage . At the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, all civil aviation operations were halted. The aircraft manufacturer Avro constructed
558-657: A Flying Training School, bomber maintenance unit, and a scatter airfield. In January 1942, it was transferred to the Ministry of Aircraft Production and Avro built a shadow factory for the production of Albermarles, Ansons, Lancasters, Yorks, and Lincolns. It was also used by Hawker Aircraft for development work on its Tornado design. The Royal Air Force remained a part of Yeadons life until 1957, operating Austers, Supermarine Spitfires, De Havilland Mosquitoes out of here. RAF Yeadon finally closed in 1959. Aircraft that were based at Yeadon: Leeds and Bradford councils jointly bought
651-411: A duty-free shopping area operated by World Duty Free . Food options include Greggs , Starbucks and Burger King . There are three lounges in the departures lounge. Long, medium and short-stay car parks provide 7,000 parking spaces at the airport, along with several drop off points. The airport processes a small amount of freight from its two cargo sheds on site with a view to expanding this operation,
744-635: A flight to the same city two months later. It also used an A310 on the route. Between 2000 and 2013, the airport was home to the West/South air platform of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance . It moved to Nostell in November 2013. The following May, PIA terminated its Islamabad service due to financial losses. The A310s consumed fuel inefficiently, and the carrier did not possess enough fuel-efficient aircraft to replace them. In 2020,
837-473: A flight training and aircraft engineering organisation. They are also the dedicated FBO at the airfield and provide helicopter and fixed wing charter flights as well as aircraft sales and management. General aviation operations are confined to the south-side of the airport, in order to maintain separation from commercial traffic utilising the main terminal. During 2005, a pair of new hangars capable of housing up to four Boeing 737-800s were constructed, as well as
930-526: A key focus of the business and master-plan objectives. The airport features a single runway of 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) aligned as 14 and 32. Until 2005, there was a second shorter runway aligned 9 and 27, however it was closed in October 2005 and converted into a taxiway. Leeds Bradford Airport published a masterplan in March 2017 outlining development needs at the airport through 2030. Planning permission
1023-429: A large rural area, was 157,869. The town motto is Arx celebris fontibus , which means "a citadel famous for its springs". The name Harrogate is first attested in the 1330s as Harwegate , Harougat and Harrowgate . The origin of the name is uncertain. It may derive from Old Norse hǫrgr 'a heap of stones, cairn' + gata 'street', in which case the name presumably meant 'road to the cairn'. Another possibility
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#17327880914411116-533: A new apron and direct taxiway to the runway. A dedicated southside fuel farm was also installed. The Aviation Academy is located within a hangar at Leeds Bradford Airport. It is operated by Craven College in conjunction with the Open University . The academy trains and prepares students to work within the commercial aviation industry. Hields Aviation has operated from Leeds Bradford Airport since 2019, offering both fixed wing and helicopter training from
1209-531: A new runway was opened and in the same year the terminal building was accidentally destroyed in a fire. Its replacement was started shortly after and was operational by 1968. By the mid-1970s, the package holiday had become popular in the British Isles. During 1976, the first holiday charter flight to the Iberian Peninsula by Britannia Airways departed from Leeds Bradford. In 1978, it
1302-406: A number of springs were discovered. The Valley Gardens (locals use the definite article) has an ice-cream parlour, children's play area with outdoor paddling pool, a skate park, frisbee golf, crazy golf and mini golf. The Sun Pavilion at the northern edge of the park can be privately hired for weddings. Tennis courts and a bowling green are in the west of the park. The Friends Of Valley Gardens group
1395-462: A public common, The Stray , which has remained public open space. The Enclosure Award facilitated development around the Stray. During the 19th century, the area between High Harrogate and Low Harrogate, which until then had remained separate communities a mile apart, was developed, and what is now the central area of Harrogate was built on high ground overlooking Low Harrogate. An area to the north of
1488-626: A result of the airport getting back up to pre-pandemic levels of passenger numbers, leading to it being ranked worst in the UK. This later led to threats of strike action in security over better pay, which were later suspended. With the closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport in November 2022, the majority of Wizz Air and TUI's flights were transferred to Leeds Bradford, bringing new routes to destinations in Romania and Poland, as well as bringing more passengers in from further afield. In late 2023,
1581-410: A rise in annual passenger numbers from four to seven million. Local MPs, environmental action groups and local residents criticised the scheme on environmental grounds, while supporters emphasised the benefits it would bring to the local economy. Following these objections, the decision to expand the airport was referred to the government, which placed a temporary block on construction while it examined
1674-469: Is St Wilfrid, Duchy Road , which was designed by the architect Temple Lushington Moore and is often considered to be his masterpiece. In Station Parade stands the Jubilee Memorial , commemorating Queen Victoria 's 1887 golden jubilee. An imposing cenotaph is an important landmark in the centre of the town. Bettys are tea rooms established in 1919 owned by Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate –
1767-519: Is a concentration of chain restaurants on John Street and Albert Street. The conference and exhibition industry is the focus of the town's business, with Harrogate International Centre the third largest fully integrated conference and exhibition centre in the UK, and one of the largest in Europe. Harrogate draws numerous visitors because of its conference facilities. In 2016 such events alone attracted 300,000 visitors to Harrogate. The convention centre
1860-754: Is a small open area in central Harrogate surrounded by some of the town's main tourist attractions including the Royal Pump Room, Royal Baths, Royal Hall and the Harrogate Council Offices ; Hall M of the Harrogate International Centre fronts onto Crescent Gardens. The Royal Hall theatre, a Grade II listed building designed by Frank Matcham . As the only surviving Kursaal in Britain, the Royal Hall
1953-453: Is also home to Bombed Out records, an independent record label, who has signed groups such as Fig 4.0 . On 5 July 2014, Harrogate served as the finish line of the first stage of the Tour de France . The event attracted record crowds to the town centre and was televised to a global audience. British cyclist Mark Cavendish was forced to drop out of the race, when he crashed a few metres from
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#17327880914412046-548: Is an important national heritage building. Restoration work was completed in 2007, and the hall was reopened on 22 January 2008, by the Prince of Wales . The Royal Pump Room , just off the gardens, houses Europe's strongest sulphur well, it is now a museum showcasing the town's spa history. The Valley Gardens , in Low Harrogate, is the town's main park and covers much of the area originally known as 'Bogs Field', where
2139-413: Is classified as warm and temperate. There is significant rainfall throughout the year in Harrogate. Even the driest month still has a lot of rainfall. The Köppen-Geiger climate classification is Cfb. The average annual temperature in Harrogate is 8.9 °C (48 °F). In a year, the average rainfall is 29 inches (742 mm). Harrogate has a strong and varied economy. The town's main shopping district
2232-554: Is focused on Cambridge Street, Oxford Street, Beulah Street and James Street where most of the high street shops can be found. There is a wide range of boutique and designer shopping on Parliament Street and in the Montpellier Quarter, as well as independent shopping around Commercial Street. Eating out is popular in Harrogate, and the town is well served by restaurants. Parliament Street and Cheltenham Parade are lined with many independent and chain restaurants, while there
2325-638: Is prosperous and has some of the highest property prices in England, with many properties in the town and surrounding villages valued at £ 1 million or more, it is generally considered the most expensive place to live in the North of England. Fulwith Mill Lane in Harrogate is the most expensive street in Yorkshire. Harrogate is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, with the Vale of York to
2418-644: Is recognised as the North of England's leading arts festival; it incorporates a number of festivals within the portfolio including the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival & Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award , Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival, Harrogate Music Festival and a number of year-round events. The town hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 1982 in
2511-401: Is that the name means "the way to Harlow". The form Harlowgate is known from 1518, and apparently in the court rolls of Edward II . In medieval times Harrogate was a place on the boundary of the township of Bilton with Harrogate in the ancient parish of Knaresborough , and the parish of Pannal , also known as Beckwith with Rossett. The part within the township of Bilton developed into
2604-450: Is the largest airport in Yorkshire. The airport was in public ownership until May 2007, when it was bought by Bridgepoint Capital for £145.5 million. Bridgepoint sold it in 2017 to AMP Capital. Leeds Bradford opened on 17 October 1931 when it was known as Leeds and Bradford Municipal Aerodrome or Yeadon Aerodrome ; some locals still refer to it as Yeadon Airport. Largely used for general aviation and training purposes early on,
2697-599: Is to be the home of Yorkshire Women cricket team . Until 1995, the town hosted one Yorkshire county game per year at St George's Road cricket ground. Since 2022, the ground has been sponsored by Kirbys Solicitors. In 2008, a fire destroyed the historic old pavilion at the ground, but it has since been re-built with a modern pavilion, bar, function room and changing rooms. Harrogate Cricket Club has 4 Saturday teams: Bilton Cricket Club, off Bilton Lane, provides opportunities for players of all ages to play in local league cricket; they beat Harrogate Cricket Club at St George's Road in
2790-563: The A1(M) by the A661 , while the A658 from Bradford forms a bypass around the south of the town. Harrogate had a population of 73,576 at the 2011 UK census ; the built-up area comprising Harrogate and nearby Knaresborough had a population of 89,060, while the figure for the much wider Borough of Harrogate , comprising Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, as well as a number of smaller settlements and
2883-705: The Black Sheep Trophy of 2006. Leeds Bradford Airport Leeds Bradford Airport ( IATA : LBA , ICAO : EGNM ) is located in Yeadon , in the City of Leeds Metropolitan District in West Yorkshire , England , about 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Leeds city centre , and about 9 miles (14 km) northeast from Bradford city centre. It serves Leeds and Bradford and the wider Yorkshire region including York , Wakefield and Harrogate , and
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2976-627: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the construction of a temporary extension to the terminal front, titled the 'Preparation Zone', acting as a space to queue, maintain Social distancing measures, and to ensure all passengers were wearing face masks as per the UK Government's COVID-19 strategy . The existing 'Yorkshire Lounge' was converted into a takeaway food outlet called 'Flight Bites', and all travel money kiosks, other shops / food outlets and
3069-671: The Crown Hotel was open by the mid-18th century, and possibly earlier. In accordance with the Forest of Knaresborough Inclosure Act 1770 ( 10 Geo. 3 . c. 94 ), promoted by the Duchy of Lancaster, the Royal Forest of Knaresborough was enclosed. The enclosure award of 1778 clarified ownership of land in the Harrogate area. Under the award, 200 acres (81 ha) of land, which included the springs known at that time, were reserved as
3162-600: The English Football League , which came via victory in the 2019–20 National League Play-offs. They have a historical rivalry with Harrogate Railway Athletic F.C. , of the Northern Counties East Football League , located at Station View. Harrogate RUFC is a North Premier team and formerly based at The County Ground, on Claro Road, but relocated to Rudding Lane on the south side of the town. Harrogate Cricket Club
3255-645: The First World War . During the Second World War , Harrogate's large hotels accommodated government offices evacuated from London, paving the way for the town to become a commercial, conference, and exhibition centre. Former employers in the town were the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB), the Milk Marketing Board and ICI who occupied offices and laboratories at Hornbeam Park where Crimplene
3348-615: The Harrogate International Centre . Harrogate won the 2003 and 2016 Britain in Bloom in the category of 'Large Town' and the European Entente Florale in 2004, reprising its win in the first Entente Florale in 1977. Harrogate was a gold medal winner of Europe in Bloom in 2004. In 2005, a Channel 4 TV show listed Harrogate as the UK's third best place to live; in 2006, it came fourth in
3441-478: The Municipal Borough of Harrogate was created, taking High Harrogate from the civil parish of Bilton with Harrogate and Low Harrogate from the civil parish of Pannal. The borough absorbed neighbouring areas in subsequent years, including the whole of the civil parishes of Bilton and Starbeck, and a large part of the civil parish of Pannal, including the village of Pannal, in 1938. The municipal borough
3534-624: The West Riding of Yorkshire , the town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters and RHS Harlow Carr gardens . 13 miles (21 km) away from the town centre is the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Nidderdale AONB . Harrogate grew out of two smaller settlements, High Harrogate and Low Harrogate, in the 17th century. For three consecutive years (2013–2015), polls voted
3627-541: The private equity firm Permira . In 2007, Principal Hotels sold their physical hotel properties to aAIM Group for £270 million and leased them back. That same year, the chain bought Hayley Conference Hotels, becoming the Principal Hayley Group. In 2009, it expanded through the purchase of two venues from the collapsed group The Real Hotel Company and opened two new venues in France and Spain. In 2010
3720-548: The 'Fast Track' security lane were closed. On 15 July 2020, a new, refurbished Yorkshire Lounge opened; closing the Flight Bites temporary outlet. On the same day, Starbucks and Boots outlets reopened; coinciding with the relaunch of Jet2.com flights. The effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic caused significant problems in the airport with staff shortages resulting in huge queues for check-in and security, as
3813-769: The English Spa Fountain was published in 1626. In the 17th and 18th centuries further chalybeate springs were discovered in High Harrogate, and both chalybeate and sulphur springs were found in Low Harrogate. The two communities attracted many visitors. A number of inns were opened for visitors in High Harrogate in the 17th century (the Queen's Head , the Granby , the Dragon and the World's End ). In Low Harrogate,
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3906-624: The Great Yorkshire Showground and Pavilions of Harrogate, which are major conference destinations. The Great Yorkshire Showground is the hub of the regional agricultural industry, hosted by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. The Great Yorkshire Show , Countryside Live and the twice yearly Harrogate Flower Shows take place there annually. The many business visitors to Harrogate sustain a number of large hotels, some originally built for visitors to
3999-535: The North, and Yeadon , Rawdon , Apperley Bridge , Greengates , and Bradford to the South. A3 to Pool and Otley to the North, and Yeadon , Guiseley , Shipley and Bradford to the South. Services were previously operated by Yorkshire Tiger , branded as 'Flying Tiger'. The routes were numbered 737 (A3), 747 (A2) and 757 (A1). The tender was given to Transdev Blazefield in August 2020 due to Covid resulting in
4092-605: The Spa. Harrogate is the home of Yorkshire Tea , exported by Taylors of Harrogate , as well as internationally exported Harrogate Spring Water . The town also exports Farrah's Toffee , Harrogate Blue cheese. The following companies are either headquartered or have significant bases in Harrogate. Two military installations are located to the west of Harrogate, the Army Foundation College and RAF Menwith Hill , an electronic monitoring station. There used to be
4185-430: The UK . It is a base for Jet2.com , which has its headquarters at the airport. What became Leeds Bradford Airport was built in the late 1920s and early 1930s on 60 acres (24 ha) of grassland next to the old Bradford to Harrogate road. On 17 October 1931, the airport, which was interchangeably known as Leeds and Bradford Municipal Aerodrome or Yeadon Aerodrome in its early years, was officially opened. Initially,
4278-474: The Valley Gardens and Royal Pump Room museum. In 1870, engineering inventor Samson Fox perfected the process of creating water gas , in the basement laboratory of Grove House . After constructing a trial plant at his home on Skipton Road, making it the first house in Yorkshire to have gas lighting and heating; he built a plant of suitable size to supply the whole town. When Parliament Street became
4371-603: The Victorian period, there was a racecourse for horses there. RHS Harlow Carr gardens , on the western edge of Harrogate, are award-winning themed gardens and are the Royal Horticultural Society 's main presence and representative in the North of England. The town has several smaller parks and gardens, including The Softpot Garden at Grove House, the Jubilee Gardens and Victoria Gardens on
4464-602: The airport for the first time; an estimated 70,000 people were drawn to the airport to catch a glimpse of the supersonic airliner. Occasional Concorde charter flights using British Airways aircraft continued until June 2000, just one month before the Concorde disaster in Paris. Leeds Bradford Airport had restricted operating hours that proved to be a deterrent to many charter airlines , whose cheap fares were heavily dependent on 'round-the-clock' use of their aircraft. In 1994,
4557-526: The airport had the introduction of two new destinations to a continent not currently served by the airport, Africa announced for 2024. Both located in Morocco the announcement of Agadir by Jet2 in October and Marrakesh by Ryanair in December. In August 2024, the airport announced as part of its 2030 vision, plans to introduce long haul flights from the airport, stating that this could happen within
4650-424: The airport site in 1930 and it opened as Yeadon Aerodrome in 1931. The airport became a limited company in 1987, and was shared between the five boroughs, Leeds (40%), Bradford (40%) and Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees (sharing the remaining 20%). In October 2006, plans to privatise the airport were confirmed and on 4 April 2007 the five controlling councils announced that Bridgepoint Capital had been selected as
4743-584: The airport to AMP Capital who own several other airports around the world. AMP plans to expand the airport, improve the customer experience and secure more business flights. The following airlines operate regular scheduled flights to and from Leeds Bradford: Bus services to and from the airport are currently operated by Transdev Blazefield under the Flyer brand. The network currently consists of three routes. A1 to Rawdon , Horsforth , Hawksworth , Kirkstall and Leeds . A2 to Pool , Pannal and Harrogate to
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#17327880914414836-399: The airport to meet their net-zero 2030 goal. Construction on this scheme began in autumn 2023 and is expected to be completed by late 2025 / early 2026. 609 (West Riding) Squadron was based at Yeadon from its formation on 10 February 1936, until 27 August 1939 when it was relocated to Catterick. In 1946, 609 Squadron was reformed and returned to Yeadon the following year. The squadron
4929-511: The airport was operated by the Yorkshire Aeroplane Club on behalf of Leeds and Bradford Corporations. Its early operations were typified by training and general aviation flights. In 1935, the aerodrome was expanded by 35 acres (140,000 m ); the first scheduled flights commenced on 8 April 1935 with a service by North Eastern Airways from London ( Heston Aerodrome ) to Newcastle upon Tyne ( Cramlington ). The service
5022-567: The community of High Harrogate, and the part within Pannal developed into the community of Low Harrogate. Both communities were within the Royal Forest of Knaresborough . In 1372 King Edward III granted the Royal Forest to his son John, Duke of Lancaster (also known as John of Gaunt), and the Duchy of Lancaster became the principal landowner in Harrogate. Harrogate's development is owed to
5115-767: The company was taken over by Lloyds, following financial difficulty. In 2012, the company bought back the hotels it had sold to aAim for £200m. In February 2013, Lloyds sold the group to the American investment company Starwood Capital Group for £ 360 million. In November 2016, Principal Hayley Group went through a major rebranding and re-investment project. The group was renamed as the Principal Hotel Company and split their portfolio between two groups of hotels; Principal (a group of luxury city hotels) and De Vere (a group of country estate hotels). In September 2017, De Vere relaunched with 22 locations and announced
5208-509: The day the runway extension was officially opened, Wardair commenced transatlantic flights to Toronto , using Boeing 747s but these flights were discontinued in 1989 when Wardair ceased operations. Worldways Canada , Odyssey International , Air Transat , Nationair and Caledonian all operated transatlantic services from the airport well into the 1990s using Lockheed Tristar and Boeing 757 –200 airliners. On 2 August 1986, an Air France Concorde charter flight from Paris landed at
5301-446: The decision further. By March 2022, citing "excessive delays", the proposal for a new terminal was withdrawn and efforts were again placed into implementing the 2019 expansion plans. In October 2023, the airport announced the 'LBA:REGEN' regeneration scheme, committing over £100 million to improve accessibility, expanded retail and dining facilities and a more streamlined arrivals experience, alongside improvements which will allow
5394-538: The developing town was reserved to the Duchy of Lancaster, and was developed for residential building. To provide entertainment for the increasing numbers of visitors the Georgian Theatre was built in 1788. Bath Hospital (later the Royal Bath Hospital) was built in 1826. The Royal Pump Room was built in 1842. The site of Tewit Well is marked by a dome on the Stray. Other wells can be found in
5487-559: The discovery of its chalybeate - and sulphur -rich spring water from the 16th century. The first mineral spring was discovered in 1571 by William Slingsby, who found that water from the Tewit Well in High Harrogate possessed similar properties to that from springs in the Belgian town of Spa , which gave its name to spa towns . The medicinal properties of the waters were publicised by Edmund Deane ; his book, Spadacrene Anglica, or
5580-707: The east and the upland Yorkshire Dales to the west and north-west. It has a dry and mild climate, typical of places in the rain shadow of the Pennines . It is on the A59 from Skipton to York. At an altitude of between 100 and 200 metres (330 and 660 ft), Harrogate is higher than many English settlements. It has an average minimum temperature in January of slightly below 1 °C (34 °F) and an average maximum in July and August of 21 °C (70 °F). Harrogate's climate
5673-422: The eastern side of central Harrogate. On 11 January 1900, Harrogate Grand Opera House, now Harrogate Theatre, opened with a charity gala in aid of British soldiers fighting the Boer War in South Africa; this was followed, on 13 January 1900, by J Tully's pantomime Dick Whittington . In 1966, the Harrogate Festival of Arts & Science was established, now known as the Harrogate International Festivals , and
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#17327880914415766-449: The finish line and suffered a dislocated shoulder. The town has since been the focal point for finishing stages of the Tour de Yorkshire in 2017. Each event of the 2019 UCI Road World Championships finished in the town, although the entire historic county of Yorkshire was the official host. Harrogate Town AFC play at Wetherby Road Stadium . The club competes in League Two , the fourth tier of English football, following promotion to
5859-535: The first scheduled flights commenced on 8 April 1935. To accommodate passenger traffic, work commenced on the first terminal in the late 1930s, although only the first wing was completed before the Second World War . British aircraft manufacturer Avro constructed a shadow factory called the Leeds Bradford Airport Depot to the north of the airport, which was the largest free-standing structure in Europe at that time. Avro produced around 5,515 aircraft before it closed in December 1946 and civil flights recommenced
5952-490: The first time, drawing an estimated crowd of 70,000 people. More Concorde charter flights took place until 2000. In 1994, the airport's operational hour restrictions were removed, enabling flights at any time of day. Since 1996, the terminal has been expanded in the terms of size and facilities. In 2007, nearly 2.9 million passengers passed through the airport, an 88% increase in seven years and more than twice as many compared with 1997 (1.2 million). Leeds Bradford has
6045-530: The following main types: Anson (more than 4,500), Bristol Blenheim (250), Lancaster bomber (695), York (45) and the Lincoln (25). Decreased demand at the end of the conflict saw the factory closed in December 1946. On New Year's Day 1947, the site was handed over to the Ministry of Civil Aviation . Many of the airport's original hangars remain intact. In 1947, civil flights recommenced. Local resident Geoff Rennard who had campaigned for Leeds and Bradford to have an aerodrome established an Aero Club. He
6138-545: The following year. It is located where Leeds Bradford Airport Industrial Estate is today. In 1965, a new runway opened. After Yeadon's terminal was destroyed in a fire, a replacement was completed in 1968. In the early 1980s, runway extensions were completed that enabled it to be classified as a regional airport . On 4 November 1984, the day a runway extension was opened, Wardair commenced transatlantic flights to Toronto , using Boeing 747s . On 2 August 1986, an Air France Concorde charter flight from Paris landed for
6231-410: The next 3 years. They also expect passenger numbers to go from 4 million to 7 million a year by 2030. The airport has a terminal and two air bridges. It has 24 aircraft stands capable of handling up to Boeing 757 aircraft. The terminal has two check-in halls: Hall A is used by all airlines except Jet2 and Hall B is solely used by Jet2. Upstairs is a retail space with shops, restaurants, bars and
6324-430: The original runway, 09/27, was permanently closed; it has since been redeveloped as a taxiway and to provide additional apron space. In 2007, nearly 2.9 million passengers passed through the airport, an 88% increase in just seven years and more than twice as many compared with 1997 (1.2 million). In February 2008, Shaheen Air commenced a link to Islamabad . Leeds Bradford's first scheduled flight to Asia,
6417-426: The preferred bidder. On 4 May 2007, Bridgepoint Capital acquired the airport from Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees councils for £145.5 million. Although Bridgepoint Capital owned the airport 100% financially, the councils hold a "special share" in the airport, to protect its name and continued operation as an air transport gateway for the Yorkshire region. In November 2017, Bridgepoint Capital sold
6510-422: The previous general election. The town is governed by North Yorkshire Council . Its predecessor, Harrogate Borough Council , was replaced on 1 April 2023. It has had a Conservative majority since the 2010 election . The Borough of Harrogate is twinned with: The town has good commuter services for people who work in the City of Leeds , City of Bradford , York and North Yorkshire in general. Harrogate
6603-408: The restrictions were removed, enabling planes to use the airport 24 hours per day, attracting more business. Work on the airport terminal has been ongoing since 1996, and the result of this has been significant growth in terminal size and passenger facilities. The expanded terminal, along with new hangars, has accommodated the expanding use of airliners such as the Boeing 737 . On 6 October 2005,
6696-474: The routes no longer being commercially viable for Yorkshire Tiger . Bus services to the cities of Leeds and Bradford link the airport with the National Rail network via Leeds railway station , Bradford Interchange and Bradford Forster Square and connects with long-distance coach services at Leeds City bus station and Bradford Interchange . Since 1994, the airport has been home to Multiflight,
6789-625: The sale of 20 non-core hotels. In December 2017, the Wychwood Park hotel was sold to Mokan Hotels Company for £8 million. In May 2018, Fonciere des Regions and the InterContinental Hotels Group bought the chain from Starwood Capital for $ 1.1 billion, with FdR acquiring the underlying property assets and IHG taking over management of the hotels. IHG announced that some Principal Hotels would be rebranded as Kimpton Hotels . Principal Hotel Company advertises that it
6882-503: The same company that markets Yorkshire Tea . Bettys has a second tea room at the RHS Harlow Carr Gardens. The Mercer Art Gallery is home to Harrogate district's art collection which consists of some 2,000 works of art, mainly from the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection includes works by William Powell Frith , Atkinson Grimshaw , Sir Edward Burne-Jones , Dame Laura Knight and Alan Davie . Crescent Gardens
6975-450: The same league, where the programme claimed that it placed lower due to "a slight dip in exam results", although presenter Phil Spencer noted that it was his personal favourite. Harrogate has two orchestras: Harrogate Symphony Orchestra and Harrogate Philharmonic Orchestra. The town is also home to an underground music scene that has produced heavy metal and punk rock groups including Workshed , Acid Reign and Blood Youth . It
7068-606: The service catered to the Pakistani community in Yorkshire. Shaheen flew to Islamabad with an Airbus A310 that it had leased from a Turkish company. In order to comply with Pakistani government regulations, it needed to switch to a plane registered in Pakistan within three months. However, the airline was unable to obtain such an aircraft in time, so it had to end the route in May 2008. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) launched
7161-479: The town as "the happiest place to live" in Britain. Harrogate spa water contains iron , sulphur and common salt . The town became known as 'The English Spa' in the Georgian era , after its waters were discovered in the 16th century. In the 17th and 18th centuries its ' chalybeate ' waters (containing iron) were a popular health treatment, and the influx of wealthy but sickly visitors contributed significantly to
7254-499: The wealth of the town. Harrogate railway station and Harrogate bus station in the town centre provide transport connections. Leeds Bradford Airport is 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Harrogate. The main roads through the town are the A61 , connecting Harrogate to Leeds and Ripon , and the A59 , connecting the town to York and Skipton . Harrogate is also connected to Wetherby and
7347-639: The wind was coming from the wrong direction. Eventually, the Air Ministry re-equipped 609 with Spitfire LFXVIs . This was sufficient as a short-term measure, but the grass airstrip was not ideally suited to Spitfire operations, and it was decided that 609 Squadron should move to the hard runways of RAF Church Fenton in October 1950. Yeadon was requisitioned by the Royal Air Force and became part of 13 Group and subsequently 12 Group. Once 609 (West Riding) Squadron left for Catterick, Yeadon served as
7440-413: The workforce. The factory, which commenced production in 1941, was reportedly the largest free-standing structure in Europe at the time. To better accommodate the large military aircraft, improvements were made to the aerodrome including two runways , more taxiways and extra hangarage enabling Yeadon to become an important site for military test flying. About 5,515 aircraft were produced at Yeadon of
7533-485: The world's first route to be lit by water-gas, newspapers commented: "Samson Fox has captured the sunlight for Harrogate." After donating the town's first fire engine, and building the town's theatre, he was elected mayor for three successive years (1890–92), a record never equalled since. In 1893 Harrogate doctor George Oliver was the first to observe the effect of adrenaline on the circulation. Like many spa town all over Europe, Harrogate's popularity declined after
7626-520: Was abolished in 1974, when Harrogate was transferred from the West Riding to North Yorkshire and became part of the wider Borough of Harrogate. Harrogate then became an unparished area , with no local government of its own. The MP for the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency is Tom Gordon , a Liberal Democrat . He was elected in 2024, ousting the Conservative who had won the seat at
7719-402: Was developed in 2020 to be used as a Nightingale Hospital . However, whilst it has been used in an NHS capacity, it has not treated any Coronavirus patients (as of late January 2021) because the conventional hospitals had not run out of capacity. It brings in over £150 million to the local economy every year and attracts in excess of 350,000 business visitors annually. The town is home to
7812-493: Was dropped, with plans for Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway railway station taken for further development. However, AMP Capital stated that updating the old 1965 original terminal would neither improve facilities sufficiently nor be able to offer a carbon neutral facility for the future. A planning application for a new terminal was submitted in early 2020 with permission granted by Leeds City Council in February 2021, alongside
7905-440: Was equipped with de Havilland Mosquito MK.XXX aircraft which were difficult to operate because the runways were too short. Safety speed (at which the aircraft needs to be flown and controlled on a single engine) was not reached until over flying central Leeds when taking off in that direction—with drastic results should things go wrong. The airfield sloped downhill and it was necessary to land at RAF Linton-on-Ouse (20 miles away) if
7998-424: Was established in 1898, as that is the year the oldest hotel in its chain, Kimpton Fitzroy London Hotel , opened, under unrelated ownership. The company operates 12 locations in the UK. Harrogate Harrogate ( / ˈ h ær ə ɡ ə t , - ɡ eɪ t , - ɡ ɪ t / HARR -ə-gət, -gayt, -ghit ) is a spa town in the district and county of North Yorkshire, England. Historically in
8091-568: Was extended to Edinburgh ( Turnhouse ). In June 1935, Blackpool and West Coast Air Services launched a service to the Isle of Man . By 1936, the London/Yeadon/Newcastle/Edinburgh service was flying three times a week and also stopped at Doncaster and continued to Aberdeen (Dyce). Seasonal flights between Yeadon and Liverpool commenced during the 1930s. To accommodate the expanding passenger numbers, work commenced on
8184-453: Was formed in 2009 to support the park. It works in partnership with Harrogate Borough Council to guide the park's development. The Stray is an area of open parkland in the centre of the town. It was created in 1778 to link most of Harrogate's springs in one protected area by an act of Parliament which fixed its area as 200 acres (81 ha ), and even now when part is removed, e.g. due to road widening, it must be replaced elsewhere. During
8277-544: Was granted in January 2019 to renovate and expand the terminal to create additional departure gate access, extended seating areas, improved baggage reclaim facilities and enlarged immigration and customs facilities. Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) also consulted in 2019 on the delivery of a new link road and parkway rail station which could provide a 10-minute connection to Leeds railway station . The link road
8370-476: Was invented in the 1950s and named after the nearby Crimple Valley and beck. In 2007, two metal detectorists found the Harrogate hoard , a 10th-century Viking treasure hoard , near Harrogate. The hoard contains almost 700 coins and other items from as far away as Afghanistan . The hoard was described by the British Museum as the most important find of its type in Britain for 150 years. In 1884
8463-522: Was recognised that, if the runway was extended, the airport could be upgraded to regional airport status. In 1982, construction commenced on the main runway necessitating the construction of a tunnel to take the A658 Bradford to Harrogate road beneath the runway. On 4 November 1984, the runway was completed. Around this time, the airport's terminal building was extended and redeveloped. The first phase opened on 18 July 1985. On 4 November 1984,
8556-519: Was sold to Nomura International Plc for £255 million, with Troy staying on as managing director. Nomura had just bought Le Méridien and rebranded the hotels to that chain. The company was reconstituted in 2004, when Le Méridien faced financial difficulties, and Troy took control back of the London, Manchester, York and Leeds properties. In 2006, the chain was sold by the Royal Bank of Scotland to
8649-425: Was subsequently appointed airport manager, remaining for five years. In 1953, Yeadon Aviation Ltd was formed to manage and operate the airport and its Aero Club. In 1955, services to Belfast , Jersey , Ostend , Southend , the Isle of Wight and Düsseldorf were added to Yeadon's destination list. Scheduled flights to London commenced in 1960; a route to Dublin by Aer Lingus was added shortly after. In 1965,
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