The story of Percy the Penguin, created specifically for the Magical Windows Trail, is one of many Christmas activities taking place across the Harrogate district this year, to help encourage customers back into town centres to shop safely during the festive period.
A series of six Magical Window posters designed by local children from the towns of Boroughbridge, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Masham, Pateley Bridge and Ripon, with each design depicting one of the chapters of Percy’s the Penguin’s quest to find a friend.
Helen Suckling, Partnerships and Commercial Manager of Visit Harrogate was delighted to visit Grewelthorpe C of E Primary School, recently to present Molly Hall (10) with her own copy of her winning poster design, now proudly displayed in Ripon Library, as the very important concluding chapter of Percy the Penguin’s quest for a Christmas pal.
Alongside each of the Magic Windows is a panel promoting a local business from each of the participating town centres. Using QR codes, each panel will direct passers-by to Percy the Penguin’s website where they will find a range of offers and exclusive discounts for participating local businesses. As children follow Percy’s journey and next chapter of the story, grown-ups can follow their own quest for bargains and exclusive discounts and discover new outlets across the delightful North Yorkshire towns in their search for festive gifts.
Meanwhile midfielder Harrogate heroes, Josh Falkingham and George Thomson, fresh from their triumphant FA Cup history-making win, revealed Harrogate AFC’s Magical QR discount codes, offering away shirts at an exclusive price of £28 each, while stocks last.
Harry Gator’s window displayed side-by-side with Isabel Trigoso winning window design is part of Destination Christmas, and the colourful displays, with funding from ERDF and HM Gov, are an innovative promotional opportunity for local businesses to drive footfall into the high streets and town centres across the district.
A number of other businesses are taking part in the promotional windows offering exclusive discounts and offers, that can only be accessed by the QR codes on the magical windows, and details can be found of the participating businesses, the stunning winning window designs, and the exciting chapters of Percy the penguin’s snowy quest on the website Home – Harrogate Magical Window (hbctrails.co.uk)
Helen Suckling, Partnerships & Commercial Manager, Visit Harrogate, Harrogate Borough Council said: “We wanted to create something engaging and fun to encourage footfall back into our town centres. We secured additional funding to be able to offer support to local businesses following what has been a difficult 18-months for our local high streets.
“Local businesses are taking advantage of this by offering exclusive discounts to attract shoppers to their stores and we hope that helps to get shoppers, friends and families into our town centres for some festive fun as well as some retail therapy.
“Following storm Arwen and BARRA we have had to have a last-minute rethink of the stand-alone windows and we would like to thank all of the businesses, local libraries and community hubs that have offered up space so that we can get the magical window trail up and running in time for Christmas.â€
The other magical window trail winners and where you can follow Percy the Penguin’s journey are:
Chapter Design Winner Where to find the story
Chapter 1 Jade Alexandra Stam Pybus Newsagents, Boroughbridge
Chapter 2 Isabel Trigoso Commercial Street, Harrogate
Chapter 3 Margaret Moorhouse Knaresborough Library, Knaresborough
Chapter 4 Lottie Smith Jennifer Holmes, Hair & Beauty, Masham
Chapter 5 Samuel Ashton Nidderdale Plus Community Hub, Pateley Bridge
Chapter 6 Molly Hall Ripon Library, Ripon
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