Iconic Yorkshire event venue unveils new look and name
One of North Yorkshire's most iconic event venues has announced a new name and re-branding as part of long-term plans to strengthen and maintain its competitiveness.
Harrogate International Centre (HIC Yorkshire) will drop its current logo and title from April, replacing the old branding with one based on the centre's iconic main auditorium.
The plan will also see the complex go under the new name of Harrogate Convention Centre.
Brain Dobson, head of sales and events at the venue, said: “The rebranding is part of our 10-year plan to modernise and keep the business relevant in a tough market, while drawing on the experience, not only of our venue but of Harrogate as a town, in welcoming major events.
“We have been hosting conventions in Harrogate for almost 200 years and, through smart investment in our facilities and recognising our strengths, we have a great foundation for the next 200 years. It's about staying relevant in a rapidly changing events industry.â€'
He added: “We want to get more emphasis on the name ‘Harrogate' in our branding. The name HIC Yorkshire didn't really get across what we do or where we are.
“Harrogate, really, is our unique selling point; people love it when they come here. It's a great town.
“We decided on the word ‘convention' because it means a gathering of people with similar interests or professions, whether at a conference or exhibition – and that's exactly what we do here.â€'
“The new logo is also a physical representation of our new customer-focussed approach.â€'
Funding for the project was kept within the Convention Centre's annual marketing budgets and the business has used local North Yorkshire companies to carry out all the work. These
include Knaresborough-based TIG Design, who designed the new logo, and Extreme Creations, a Harrogate agency who are also working on a separate project to design a new website.
Brian added: “The budget for the re-naming process is £12,000, which includes new signage around the site and the design work itself.
“We are also in the process of launching a new website following the expiration of our current contract. This is an ongoing project running alongside the rebranding and is part of plans to strengthen our sales and marketing strategy.â€'
Amanda Haywood-Poole, design manager at Extreme, said: "This project is a wonderful creative challenge. We are working to combine Harrogate Convention Centre's rich heritage with a more future-proof website that is capable of showcasing its world-class event offering."
Spring sees a busy time for Harrogate Convention Centre as it welcomes the return of the BBC Good Food Show for the fourth year, while the venue also looks forward to its first ever Stitching, Sewing and Hobbycrafts show from May 11 to 13.
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