The Harrogate Story

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The Harrogate Story

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The Harrogate Story is located in West Park Centre at WPURC.

This project has been developed by a small group of community volunteers and Harrogate residents to create a community centre and visitor hub for the town.

03/11/2026

Experience a powerful evening of live music in Harrogate 🕊️🎶

Join us at The West Park Centre for a special live performance of Karl Jenkins' celebrated modern masterpiece, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace.

Under the baton of Musical Director Margaret Mitchell and accompanied by organist Shaun Turnbull alongside a carefully curated group of musicians, a passionate choir of local singers will come together to fill our historic venue with sound. Whether you are a lifelong fan of choral music or simply want to experience something truly atmospheric, this promises to be an unforgettable one-hour concert.

Because we are a non-profit, volunteer-led hub, every ticket purchased directly supports the upkeep of our landmark building and helps us keep community arts alive in Harrogate.

Audience seating is strictly limited, so please secure your place early to avoid disappointment.

Concert Details:
📅 Date: Saturday 7th November
⏰ Time: 5pm — 6pm
🎟️ Tickets: £15 (limited numbers available)
👉 Book your audience seat online: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/GWBP

📍 Find us: West Park Centre, Victoria Avenue, Harrogate HG1 1BL

Supported by Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith and funded by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund.

30/10/2026

Open tomorrow, Saturday, at 10.30 for the last day of the season.
Thank you to nearly 4,000 visitors for supporting us and our amazing team of volunteers who make everyone so welcome.

27/10/2026

Experience Live Music at The West Park Centre

Prefer listening to live music? Experience Karl Jenkins’ moving masterpiece, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, performed right here in Harrogate! 🎶✨

On Saturday 7th November, a choir of passionate local singers will come together at The West Park Centre for an evening performance following a full day of rehearsals. Under the direction of Margaret Mitchell and accompanied by organist Shaun Turnbull, this promises to be a deeply moving hour of music in our historic venue.

Audience seating is limited for this special performance, so we recommend booking early to secure your seat.

Concert Details:
⏰ Concert Time: 5pm — 6pm
🎟️ Audience Ticket: £15
👉 Book audience tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/GWBP

Every ticket purchased supports our non-profit, volunteer-led hub, helping us continue to bring vibrant community events, heritage exhibitions, and local services to Harrogate.

Event Details:
📅 Date: Saturday 7th November 📍
Location: West Park Centre, Victoria Avenue, Harrogate HG1 1BL
📧 Enquiries: [email protected]

Supported by Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith and funded by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund.

25/10/2026

Final week of the 2026 season.

The Harrogate Story closes on Saturday 31st October after a successful 7 months with visitors from over 20 countries.

We are open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10.30 am - 3.00 pm

Explore inside the West Park United Reformed Church and discover so much about the history of our twn.

Enjoy watching old Harrogate movies, narrated bt Edward Fox.

Looking forward to seeing you...............

www.theharrogatestory.org.uk

21/10/2026

Have you walked past us many times and wondered what lies inside?

A local visitor recently left a note in our visitor survey saying they had walked past our building many times before finally deciding to step through the doors, adding that they found the exhibition very interesting.

That is the beauty of The West Park Centre. Behind our doors on West Park, you will find a vibrant community hub filled with local history. From the rich heritage of The Harrogate Story exhibition to our welcoming café and volunteer-led Visitor Information Centre, there is so much waiting to be discovered right on your doorstep.

As an entirely non-profit, volunteer-led space, every visitor helps us keep this historic venue open and thriving for the whole town. If you have been walking past us on your daily commute or weekend stroll across the Stray, why not step inside this week and explore for yourself?

Our opening times: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday Exhibition open: 10.30am — 3pm Coffee and cake: from 11am

Find us: West Park Centre @ West Park United Reformed Church, Harrogate HG1 1EQ

Supported by Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith and funded by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund.

18/10/2026

We are preparing for some changes behind the scenes as we carry out important work over the coming weeks.

Looking after our historic building is an ongoing labour of love. Alongside necessary building maintenance, we are undertaking some exciting new improvements made possible by Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith and funded by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund. Together, these works will help ensure our space stays warm, safe, and even more welcoming for everyone when we fully reopen in the Springtime!

Please note that The Harrogate Story exhibition and café will close for the season on 31st October. However, our Visitor Information Centre and café area will remain open with reduced hours until mid-December to continue helping locals and visitors alike. Pop in, enjoy a cuppa, and keep up to date with developments!

If you would like to explore the exhibition, gather local travel advice or simply sit back with a warm cup of tea and a slice of cake in our café, there is still time so do pop in and see us before 31st October!

As an entirely non-profit, volunteer-led community hub, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has visited, donated and supported us this season. Every single visit helps us keep this historic building alive for Harrogate.

Pop in and see us before 31st October:
📅 Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday
⏰ Exhibition open: 10.30am — 3pm
🍰 Coffee and cake: from 11am
📍 Find us: West Park Centre @ West Park United Reformed Church, Harrogate HG1 1EQ

15/10/2026

Calling All Singers: Perform 'The Armed Man' in Harrogate

Calling all singers! Whether you sing in a local choir or simply love lifting your voice in harmony, we would love for you to join us at The West Park Centre for a special day of music making.

On Saturday 7th November, we are hosting a Come and Sing workshop and concert featuring Karl Jenkins' acclaimed piece, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace.

Led by Musical Director Margaret Mitchell and accompanied by organist Shaun Turnbull, singers will spend the day working through this magnificent choral work before taking to the stage for an evening concert.

Singer Workshop Details: ⏰ Rehearsals: 10am — 4.30pm (Concert at 5pm) 🎟️ Workshop Ticket: £20 👉 Book your place: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/GUAT

As a non-profit, volunteer-led community hub, bringing people together through music and shared creative experiences is what our space is all about. Reserve your spot today and be part of something truly memorable!

Event Details:
📅 Date: Saturday 7th November
📍 Location: West Park Centre, Victoria Avenue, Harrogate HG1 1BL
📧 Enquiries: [email protected]

Supported by Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, and funded by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund.

08/10/2026

We brought home some silverware! 🏆✨

On Tuesday evening, we attended the Harrogate in Bloom awards, and to our complete surprise and delight, The West Park Centre was awarded The President's Trophy!

The trophy was awarded in recognition of our support on the official judging day, when we had the pleasure of hosting the judges, guiding them around The Harrogate Story exhibition and serving them lunch in our café.

Looking after our town’s heritage and offering a warm, welcoming space for local events and community partners is at the heart of everything we do. We are so proud of our wonderful team of volunteers who made the judges feel right at home, and we would like to say a huge thank you to the Harrogate in Bloom team for this fantastic honour.

Congratulations to all the fantastic local groups and green-fingered volunteers across town who keep Harrogate blooming so beautifully!

Pop in to say hello and spot our new trophy on display!

Visit us:
📅 Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday
⏰ Exhibition open: 10.30am — 3pm
🍰 Coffee and cake: from 11am
📍 Find us: West Park Centre @ West Park United Reformed Church, Harrogate HG1 1EQ

Supported by Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, and funded by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund.

07/10/2026

Final days to visit! 🎒📜

If you have not yet had a chance to explore our temporary heritage exhibition, Schools & Schooldays in Nineteenth-Century Harrogate, there are only a few days left to catch it!

Based on the latest book by local historian Dr Paul Jennings, this fascinating free display takes a look back in time to discover what school life, childhood, and local education were really like in Victorian Harrogate.

The exhibition runs until Saturday 10th October, so do pop in this week before it closes! While you are here, you can also explore The Harrogate Story displays, gather local advice at our Visitor Information Centre, or sit back with a fresh hot drink and a slice of cake in our café.

As an entirely non-profit, volunteer-led space, every visit helps us keep this historic building open and thriving for the whole community.

Plan your visit this week:
📅 Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday
⏰ Exhibition open: 10.30am — 3pm
🍰 Coffee and cake: from 11am
📍 Find us: West Park Centre @ West Park United Reformed Church, Harrogate HG1 1EQ

Supported by Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith and funded by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund.

26/09/2026

Come and Sing! A day of music at The West Park Centre. 🎶✨

Whether you love to sing in harmony or simply enjoy moving live music, join us for a powerful day of choral performance right here in Harrogate!

We are hosting a special Come and Sing workshop and concert featuring Karl Jenkins' acclaimed work, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. Led by Musical Director Margaret Mitchell and accompanied by organist Shaun Turnbull, this is a fantastic opportunity to rehearse and perform together in our historic venue.

For Singers (Workshop & Performance):
Spend the day rehearsing this magnificent work before performing in the evening concert.
⏰ Rehearsals: 10am — 4.30pm
🎟️ Workshop Ticket: £20 👉
Book your singing place: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/GUAT

For Audience Members (Concert):
Prefer to listen?
Join us for the live evening performance (limited places available).
⏰ Concert: 5pm — 6pm
🎟️ Audience Ticket: £15 👉
Book your audience ticket: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/GWBP

As an entirely non-profit, volunteer-led community hub, hosting events that bring people together through shared experiences is at the very heart of what we do.

Event Details:
📅 Date: Saturday 7th November
📍 Location: West Park Centre, Victoria Avenue, Harrogate HG1 1BL
📧 Enquiries: [email protected]

The West Park Centre is supported by Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith and funded by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund.

Address

West Park
Harrogate
HG1

Website

http://theharrogatestory.org.uk/

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