A new organisation has been established in Harrogate with an ambition to revive the town’s extraordinary spa heritage and shape a new future as Britain’s Living Spa.
Harrogate Spa Society, recently incorporated as a Community Interest Company, brings together work across water, nature, health, culture, heritage and design, drawing inspiration from the pioneering and experimental spirit that once made Harrogate one of Europe’s great spa destinations.
Founded by Harrogate-based designer George Eglese, the Society brings together several years of research, creative projects and collaboration with organisations and individuals across the town. Its vision has also been informed by recent visits to Europe’s historic spa towns, exploring how their distinctive cultures, landscapes and traditions are being renewed for contemporary life.
At its heart is Harrogate Cure, the Society’s public-facing cultural programme, with a new season taking shape for 2027. Bringing together art, music, nature, movement and discovery, the Cure will celebrate Harrogate’s extraordinary spa landscape and revive the spirit of experimentation, creativity and international exchange that once defined the town.
The Society’s wider work includes Spa Commons, exploring the restoration and renewed use of Harrogate’s historic spa buildings, mineral springs, gardens and public spaces, and Harrogate Wildbelt, a landscape vision connecting the town’s rivers, valleys, woodlands and green corridors.
Early priorities include exploring a new public role for Crescent Gardens Pavilion, researching and mapping Harrogate’s mineral springs, developing a growing archive of the town’s spa history and culture, and continuing its foundational work on the Harrogate Wildbelt.
George Eglese, Founder and Director of Harrogate Spa Society, said: “Harrogate was built on an extraordinary spirit of discovery, invention and experimentation. Its mineral waters gave rise to an entire culture of health, nature, architecture, entertainment and international exchange.
“That spirit still has enormous potential. We want to bring these different elements back into conversation, reconnect the places and ideas that made Harrogate distinctive, and open up new possibilities for the town and its people.”
The Society is developing relationships with researchers, cultural organisations, environmental groups and other spa towns across Britain and Europe, creating opportunities for collaboration and the exchange of ideas.
It is now inviting people, organisations and potential partners to become involved as its programme takes shape.
