About
Harrogate 250 is growing a new ecosystem of ideas, research, and collaboration to reconnect the town with its origins. We’re mapping the land, reviving its springs, restoring its landscapes, and convening people to explore how Harrogate can evolve in harmony with its natural and cultural genius loci. Through deep inquiry and collective action, we are laying the foundations for a town that is shaped by its waters, landscapes, and communities once more.
Community
Community
Environmental
Programme Lead
George Eglese
Lead
A native of Harrogate, George Eglese is deeply passionate about his hometown and its unique legacy as a place of healing and renewal. As the founder of the Harrogate 250, George is leading an ambitious effort to restore the town as a global leader in health and wellbeing. By reconnecting Harrogate’s heritage with deep ecological solutions, he aims to create a thriving, sustainable future that honours the past while meeting the needs of today’s community.
Beyond the programme, George’s commitment to environmental restoration and community resilience is evident in his roles as a trustee for local charities, director of Long Lands Common, and Associate of the Institute of Place Management. His work reflects a singular purpose: to reconnect people with nature, foster stronger communities, and inspire others to champion sustainable regeneration.
Steering Group
We’re assembling a group of leaders in Harrogate, design, research, storytelling, policy, business, and operations to drive our mission forward. If you see yourself in one of these roles, we’d love to hear from you.
Get involved
Community
Community
Environmental
Institutions
Advisory
We’re assembling a group of leaders in design, research, storytelling, policy, business, and operations to drive our mission forward. If you see yourself in one of these roles, we’d love to hear from you.
Get involved
Community
Community
Environmental
Professor Astrid Köhler
Strategic Advisor
Köhler is a Professor of Comparative Cultural Studies at Queen Mary University of London. From May 2019 to December 2022 she was engaged in Harrogate with the HERA-funded research project The European Spa as a Transnational Public Space and Social Metaphor as one of its four Principal Investigators.
This landmark project brought together historians, cultural historians and literary scholars to rethink the spa as well as other types of health resort that evolved over time as important institutions and objects of European debate.
Mark Girling
Digital Experience Engineer
Currently a Developer for Sky, Mark also brings experience from his earlier career at City of York Council. With a focus on digital design and user experience, he has a strong track record of creating effective and user-friendly digital experiences.
Mark is helping to create a seamless and interactive digital experience. His work supports the partnership’s vision, ensuring it is communicated in innovative ways that engage diverse audiences.