We’re part of Harrogate’s new crime reporting tool

We’ve joined forces with Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) and over 30 local businesses to support a safer, more welcoming town centre.

The partnership aims to strengthen information sharing and contribute to Harrogate BID’s long-term ambition of achieving Purple Flag accreditation – a certification for towns that provide safe, diverse, and well-managed environments.

Making Harrogate safer for customers and colleagues

With its restaurants, cafes, and bars, Harrogate is one of the best places in North Yorkshire for an evening out – but like any town with a vibrant nightlife, crime and anti-social behaviour can affect businesses, staff, residents and visitors.

That’s why we’ve joined Harrogate BID’s ShopSafe Alert app, a digital network that connects local authorities with over 30 businesses across the town centre.

Using ShopSafe, we can:

• Monitor potential crime or Anti-Social Behaviour in real-time.
• Share images of people conducting criminal activity or Anti-Social Behaviour.
• View information and images shared by Harrogate Police and local businesses.

ShopSafe provides a secure way for businesses and partners to share information about incidents and emerging concerns, helping build a clearer picture of what is happening around Harrogate and supporting a more coordinated response.

The goal is to achieve “Purple Flag” accreditation in Harrogate – a nationally recognised standard for towns that demonstrate a well-managed, vibrant and safe evening and night-time economy.

Speaking on our addition to this network, Harrogate BIDs Business Crime Officer, Paul Evans, said:

“Keeping Harrogate safe is a shared responsibility, and effective partnership working is an important part of that. The ShopSafe app gives businesses a straightforward way to share information about incidents and concerns, helping us better understand what is happening across the town.

“Working with transport operators is particularly valuable because they have an important role to play in the experience of people travelling into, around and out of Harrogate.

“By sharing information and working more closely together, we can build stronger links between businesses, transport providers, the police and other partners. In the longer term, achieving Purple Flag accreditation remains an important goal.

“There is work to do to get there, but partnerships like this are an important step in building the safer, more welcoming and well-managed town centre that we want Harrogate to be.”

Transdev Head of Operations, Kel Pizzuti, said:

“The safety and security of our customers and driver colleagues will always remain a top priority for us here at the Harrogate Bus Company – so the decision to join a network that drives down criminal and anti-social behaviour was an easy one.

“ShopSafe will help keep participating businesses informed with what’s happening in the local area and around the district; it will also play a key part in the initiative to achieve Purple Flag accreditation. We would strongly encourage other businesses in Harrogate to participate and help make this town safer for everyone.”

We’re already part of the Shop Watch and Pub Watch programmes, and Harrogate Council’s CCTV & Radio system. We also have our own CCTV systems fitted in the bus station and are issuing body cameras to Duty Managers.

By working more closely with the authorities and other local businesses, we can share information and respond to criminal or anti-social behaviour more concisely.