A new town centre hub – and a tourist information centre to welcome visitors – is to be opened by Huddersfield BID on Friday.
Huddersfield Business Improvement District (BID) has a new base in the heart of the town and will provide facilities for its members – known as levy-payers – along with a gift shop and tourist information centre open to the public.
Named ‘Hello Huddersfield!’ the new base has a shopfront at 5 Market Avenue, inside the Market Avenue arcade off New Street.
It opens on Friday February 4 with a launch event from 12noon until 7pm.
Huddersfield BID has its offices upstairs where there is also a meeting room which is available for levy-payers to hire, free of charge.
Downstairs there is a retail unit which will sell Huddersfield-themed gifts and artisan-made products and also offer tourist information, leaflets and guides.
The retail unit also offers space to artisan crafters who are maybe just starting out. There are five such businesses offering Indian jewellery, flower jewellery, soya-based wax melts, Yorkshire-made snacks and foodstuffs and artwork.
Huddersfield BID is also talking to Huddersfield Town and Huddersfield Giants about putting products into the shop.
The hub will also offer free wheelchair hire to the public to help those who have difficulty getting around.
Huddersfield BID manager Sam Sharp said the hub was the first of its kind for the town and added: “We’re so excited to be able to provide charities, small and micro businesses the much-needed space and environment to be able to thrive.
“Ultimately our aim is to generate more footfall in the town centre and by creating this valuable space we hope to be able to make a real difference.”
Huddersfield BID is a not-for-profit organisation created by levy payers from businesses in the town. The BID is entirely focused on developing Huddersfield into an accessible, safe, vibrant and attractive destination.
