I found the Conference really useful, as ever! When I first came a few years ago, it was so helpful in developing my understanding, and now that I'm more experienced, it really helps me to shape my strategic direction and priorities.
Location
Directions
By train
Harrogate Convention Centre (HCC) is a seven-minute walk from Harrogate train station.
HCC is linked to all major UK cities via Leeds (34 minutes) and York (33 minutes), including a direct, daily connection to London (three hours).
View details of discounted train travel.
By car
From the South: 21 minutes from the A1. Take the M1 and A1(M) before leaving at Junction 45 (Wetherby), then take the A661 to Harrogate. Alternatively, continue on the A1(M) to Junction 47 (Knaresborough), then follow signs to Harrogate.
From the North: 24 minutes from the A1. Take the A1(M) and exit at Junction 47 (Knaresborough), then follow signs to Harrogate.
Global Positioning Details
If you’re using satnav to get to the HCC, use the postcode HG1 2HR.
Parking information
Parking is available at the hotels if you’re staying at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa, or the Crowne Plaza Harrogate:
DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa: 250 car parking spaces - £10.
Crowne Plaza Harrogate: Although spaces cannot be reserved, there is a large underground car park with up to 180 spaces - £7 per overnight stay.
HCC has its own underground car park, with approx. 158 spaces, and a number of spaces for Blue Badge holders. The entrance is on Springfield Avenue. View parking information.
Charges for Springfield Car Park are:
|
Daytime |
Cost |
|---|---|
| Up to three hours | £5 |
| Up to six hours | £9 |
| Up to 12 hours | £13 |
| Up to 24 hours | £15 |
| Up to 48 hours | £25 |
| Up to 72 hours | £35 |
Please remember to check closing times of your car park if you’re intending to stay late, as vehicles locked in will be charged a release fee.
Cost to attend
There is no accommodation at the Harrogate Convention Centre, so if you need accommodation you will need to select this separately during the booking process.
Event delegates – for higher or further education providers:
Non-residential conference package
£320 +VAT (18 October – 24 January)
£360 +VAT (25 January – 3 April)
£410 +VAT (4 April – 28 April)
Package includes full attendance at the Conference, including lunch each day, and evening meal and entertainment at the Harrogate Convention Centre on Tuesday 28 April.
Day delegate
£220 +VAT per day (18 October – 24 January)
£240 +VAT per day (25 January – 3 April)
£260 +VAT per day (4 April – 28 April)
Day delegate includes full attendance on one day, including lunch.
Accommodation:
All the hotels listed are adjacent or a few minutes’ walk from the Harrogate Convention Centre.
|
Item/Day |
Monday 27 April |
Tuesday 28 April |
|---|---|---|
|
Premier Inn Harrogate Town Centre - single occupancy only |
£60.42 +VAT |
£60.42 +VAT |
|
DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa - single occupancy |
£62.50 +VAT |
£62.50 +VAT |
| DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa - double occupancy FULLY BOOKED |
£70.83 +VAT | £70.83 +VAT |
|
Crowne Plaza Harrogate - single occupancy |
£95.83 +VAT |
£95.83 +VAT |
| Crowne Plaza Harrogate - double occupancy | £104.16 +VAT | £104.16 +VAT |
| Crowne Plaza Harrogate - (club room) single occupancy | £112.50 +VAT | £112.50 +VAT |
| Crowne Plaza Harrogate - (club room) double occupancy | £120.83 +VAT | £120.83 +VAT |
Meal and entertainment at the Harrogate Convention Centre on Tuesday 28 April (included in the non-residential package): £50 +VAT
Optional activities
|
Run with Clare Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 April 18.00 – 18.45 |
Do you need to stretch those legs? Get outside for a friendly 5k run around beautiful Harrogate to help you unwind from the day. Come and run with our CEO, Clare Marchant and UCAS’ Relationship Manager Charlie Smith. |
|
Walk it off Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 April 18.00 – 18.45 |
Come and join us on a stroll around stunning Harrogate. Stretch your legs, chat with fellow attendees, and take in some of the iconic Harrogate attractions. Don’t forget to wear warm clothing and a decent coat The session is weather dependent, and we will ONLY walk if the weather is reasonable – not in rain, sleet, or snow! |
Things to do and see in Harrogate
| Turkish Baths Harrogate Parliament Street, Harrogate, HG1 2WH |
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The Turkish Baths Harrogate offer genuine Victorian Turkish baths surroundings and contemporary treatments. In its heyday, Harrogate was known as ‘the English spa’ and a leading destination for European high society. The Turkish Baths were part of a vast number of facilities available in the Royal Baths Complex, which opened in 1897. Other treatments included the medicinal waters dispensary, hydrotherapy departments, mud baths, and steam rooms. Today you can get a sense of this history while enjoying a more contemporary spa experience in these magnificent surroundings. More info |
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| Bettys Café Tea Rooms 1 Parliament Street, Harrogate, HG1 2QU |
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A Harrogate institution, Bettys Café Tea Rooms was set up in 1919, by the Swiss confectioner and baker Frederick Belmont. A century later, the business is in its fourth generation and is open for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea, with a menu that infuses Swiss and Yorkshire traditions. So that might be rösti at breakfast, schnitzel at lunch, or chocolate torte from the cake trolley. But Betty’s high reputation is based on its afternoon tea, which has the traditional platter of sandwiches, fancy handmade cakes, scones, clotted cream, and strawberry preserves, all beautifully presented with silver and fine crockery. Book ahead to avoid the long queue! |
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| Royal Pump Room Museum Crown Place, Harrogate, HG1 2RY |
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Visit the strongest sulphur wells in Europe, where over 15,000 people used to come every summer. The Royal Pump Room was built by Isaac Shutt in 1842, to provide shelter for the town’s affluent visitors as they took the famous waters. Among its most famous visitors was Tsarina Alexandra of Russia, in 1911. The annexe was added in 1913 to cater for the expanding visitor numbers, and now houses the permanent exhibition and museum shop. Daily well tours at 10:30, 14:00, and 15:00. |
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| Mercer Art Gallery Swan Road, Harrogate, HG1 2SA |
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The Mercer Art Gallery is home to Harrogate district's fine art collection, which consists of some 2,000 works of art – mainly from the 19th and 20th centuries. Open: 10:00 –16:00 Monday to Saturday, 12:00 – 16:00 Sunday. Entry is free! |
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| RHS Garden Harlow Carr Crag Lane, Harrogate, HG3 1QB |
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One of Yorkshire’s most relaxing and innovative gardens at the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, RHS Harlow Carr is a showcase of horticultural excellence all year round! Wonder through the tranquil surroundings of this stunning 58 acre garden and gain ideas for your own borders, or simply relax with family and friends on a leisurely stroll. Late spring at Harlow Carr brings wildflower meadows and the wonderful blue Meconopsis poppy bursts into flower along the streamside. Watch out for the displays of tulips dotted all around the garden. A walk through the Woodland brings carpets of bluebells, with cherries, magnolia, and rhododendrons all coming into blossom. |
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| Royal Hall Royal Hall, Ripon Road, Harrogate, HG1 1LE |
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Harrogate’s Royal Hall, a stunning Edwardian Theatre built in 1903, is a venue for events, arts, and entertainment. Regular open days held by the restoration charity allow visitors to tour the grade II listed building, gain insight to the heritage of this local landmark, and contribute to the ongoing restoration of the hall. Restored to its original magnificence, the Royal Hall is the only surviving kursaal in mainland UK. |
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| Valley Gardens, Harrogate Between Valley Drive and Cornwall Road, Harrogate |
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The Valley Gardens Harrogate are English Heritage Grade II listed gardens situated in regal Low Harrogate, which along with woodland, are known as The Pinewoods, and cover 17 acres. The Valley Gardens contain a greater number of mineral springs than any other known place – visit the area known as Bogs Field where 36 different mineral wells were discovered. The Valley Gardens Harrogate are open all year round, 24 hours a day, and with a number of different areas and garden styles, make a relaxing and captivating place to explore. There are a wide variety of outdoor games such as tennis courts, pitch & putt golf course, crazy golf, and boating pool. The outdoor games season runs from April to October. Light refreshments are available from the Magnesia Well Café, and the Games Pavilion sells refreshments between Easter and September. |
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| St Wilfrid's Church, Harrogate Duchy Road, Harrogate, HG1 2EY |
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A magnificent Grade I listed church, open daily to visitors and just a short scenic walk from the centre of town. Designed by renowned architect Temple Moore and his son-in-law Leslie Moore, the church, cloisters, hall, and cottage are the only Grade I listed buildings in the town of Harrogate. The church is open to the public from 09:00 to 18:00 most days, and entry is free. |
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| Spofforth Castle Castle Street, Spofforth, Harrogate, HG3 1AR |
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Spofforth Castle was once a grand and important house, scene of lavish banquets and a powerful seat of power over the surrounding feudal lands. It has stood in some form since at least the time of the Norman Conquest. Still recognisable for what it was, the castle and surrounding park are free to visit and make a fascinating place to explore and discover. The structure and layout are still clear for visitors to see, as is the undercroft carved into the stone, and the dainty turret. |
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| Crimple Valley Viaduct Follifoot, Harrogate |
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The Crimple Valley Viaduct carries the Harrogate to Leeds railway line across Crimple Beck, and its valley. The structure, which is Grade II listed, has 31 arches each spanning over 15.5 metres, making a total length of over half a kilometre. The viaduct was completed in 1848 by the York and North Midland Railway Company, which later became part of LNER. Offering passengers long views over the area south of Harrogate as they pass over the viaduct, it’s visible from a number of different locations – standing over 30m tall at its centre. The valley and wood that line Crimple Beck are criss-crossed with footpaths and bridleways, making a great place to explore and watch trains cross. They are easily accessible from Pannel and Follifoot, south of Harrogate. In spring, the valley turns a remarkable yellow when the buttercups in the fields come into flower. |
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| Visitor discount offers | ||
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Harrogate Convention Centre works with local partners to offer exclusive discounts around Harrogate, including many restaurants and bars. Your visitor discount card will be given to you when you check-in. To redeem offers, simply show your card. |