Harrogate Convention Centre

Multi-national, multi-stakeholder, multi-purpose: how we built a global events hub

Harrogate Convention Centre has been hosting events since 1835. Their series of venues and event spaces are world-renowned and attract shows, exhibitions, fairs and performances of all types. When the team at Harrogate Convention Centre asked us to create something that worked for all their visitors and various stakeholders, we jumped at the chance.

Project team

Services provided

Challenge

More than a 'what’s on' guide… upgrading the user experience

The existing site was dated; insights showed it was mainly used as a ‘what’s on’ guide, rather than as a tool geared towards selling these world-class venues to the organisers of major events.

A hand sketching a website wireframe with a green marker in a spiral notebook, beside scattered markers and a black case on a wooden desk.

Grey wireframe mockups of a website: a welcome splash with Connect, Engage, Grow and Play panels, beside a venue search page showing hall cards.

Nothing is ever accidental. Every facet of the site was carefully considered to meet the client aims

Harrogate Convention Centre web banner reading Industry-Leading Event Spaces, with a circular photo of a presenter in a dark suit raising a hand

Vision

Leaders in global events - in the spotlight

We needed to revamp the experience to better sell the venue to events organisers, bring the heritage of the event spaces to the fore as well as improve the website's platform for efficient day-to-day management.

The site needed to move away from being a ‘calendar’ site, having also fallen out of step with its hometown. With Harrogate attracting many vibrant new restaurants and bars - both indies and chains - the centre needed to reflect its own vital role in boosting the local economy through a diverse schedule of events.

Event cards: Laura Mvula, Royal Hall, 27th July; Harrogate Fashion Week, Exhibition Halls, 29th–30th July, with a pink plus button on each.

Mobile webpage with Getting Here over an aerial town view, Hospitality over a food buffet, and Discover Harrogate text on white

Craft

Bringing to life the fun, vibrant and welcoming personality of the Convention Centre

Nothing is ever accidental. Every facet of the site was carefully considered to meet the client aims which, to this end, meant marrying the old and the new and, of course, boosting sales.

The Royal Hall went on to offer many of the subtle design elements that feature throughout the site and on inspection, you’ll see touches like the ‘pointing finger’ ahead of section headers, inspired by the old fashioned signage still visible inside the venue today.

Six Harrogate event cards: Fashion Week, Gilbert & Sullivan Festival, The Great Brick Adventure, Big Girls Don't Cry, and a Film Festival talk with a smiling guest.

Deliver

The hottest ticket in town

By developing the new website on Craft CMS, we provided the team at Harrogate Convention Centre with the elements they needed to manage the wealth of information the site requires. The process for creating and editing content is much easier; this has freed up extra time to allow the team to concentrate on event bookings.

We redefined the user experience through a completely reorganised sitemap, making it easier for visitors to the site to access the most relevant information for them, simply and effectively.

Craft CMS allowed us to create an engaging frontend website away from themes and really show our technical gift for development. The backend is optimised to deliver content to the end user quickly, making their experience as quick and intuitive as possible.