Harrogate BID Invites Retail Staff To Safer Business Action Week Drop-in To Tackle Retail Crime And Staff Safety
Harrogate BID is inviting retail staff from across Harrogate town centre to attend a drop-in event on Monday 9th November as part of Safer Business Action Week, a national campaign raising awareness of retail crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB).
The Retail Crime and Staff Safety Drop-in will take place from 10 am to 12 pm in the meeting room on the first floor of Victoria Shopping Centre, Harrogate. Retail staff are welcome to drop in to find out more about the ongoing work being carried out by Harrogate BID’s Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP), North Yorkshire Police and partners to tackle retail crime and improve safety across the town centre.
The event forms part of Safer Business Action Week, running from Monday 9th to Sunday 15th November 2026. The national campaign brings police forces, business partnerships and retail organisations together to raise awareness of retail crime and anti-social behaviour, while taking proactive action to address the issues affecting businesses and their staff.
During the drop-in, retail staff will have the opportunity to learn more about the support available locally, discuss the challenges they face and hear about three further campaigns being launched by the Retail Trust, ShopKind and USDAW (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers).
These campaigns highlight the impact of abuse and crime on retail workers, including the verbal and physical abuse that many face as part of their day-to-day roles. They aim to raise awareness of the importance of treating retail staff with respect and ensuring they feel safe and supported at work.
Paul Evans, BCRP Manager at Harrogate BID, said:
“We’re encouraging retail staff from across Harrogate town centre to come along to our drop-in event during Safer Business Action Week. It’s an opportunity to find out more about the work Harrogate BID, through our Business Crime Reduction Partnership, is doing alongside North Yorkshire Police to tackle retail crime and anti-social behaviour.
“We also want to highlight the wider work taking place nationally to address the challenges faced by retail workers, particularly the verbal and physical abuse that can unfortunately be part of their working day. The campaigns being launched by the Retail Trust, ShopKind and USDAW are an important part of that conversation.
“We’d love to see as many retail staff as possible drop in, ask questions and find out more about the support available. Working together with businesses, police and our partners is vital to making Harrogate town centre a safer place to work, shop and visit.”
Safer Business Action Week provides an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between businesses, police and partner organisations, combining awareness-raising with practical action to prevent retail crime and support those working on the high street.
The drop-in event will feature three short briefings at 10.30 am, 11 am and 11.30 am, giving retail staff several opportunities to hear more about the work taking place and the campaigns being highlighted.
Event details
What: Retail Crime and Staff Safety Drop-in
When: Monday 9th November 2026, 10 am–12 pm
Where: Meeting room, first floor, Victoria Shopping Centre, Harrogate
Briefings: 10.30 am, 11 am and 11.30 am
Retail staff from across Harrogate town centre are encouraged to drop in and find out more about the work taking place to tackle retail crime, address anti-social behaviour and improve staff safety.
