Scarborough Spy

30/10/2025

Nov/Dec Spy is out, with this lovely cover by Hannah Grahamslaw! Subscribers got it 29 Oct, three days before general release on 1 Nov.
Inside you'll find...
> 21 pages of what's on listings, plus interviews with people who make it happen (Ben Foden of Scarborough Rugby Union Football Club, Sadie Shard of The Crescent Lounge, the team at Yorkshire Coast Sight Support, shows at Old Parcels Office Artspace and more!)
> Interview with illustrator Hannah Grahamslaw
> Made in Scarborough: https://castlebookbindery.co.uk
> Tim Tubbs on Scalby character Mahlo Hollywood
> Best new food & drink spots, incl Brew+Bao: Scarborough, CaffeRoyale and Edwin's Home Brew Beer (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578324386174)
> Xmas gifts: silly stuff from The Scarborough Joke & Magic Shop, vintage treasures from Wooley Edge in the Market (https://www.instagram.com/hiwooleyedge/) and everything under the sun from John Wherritt (...180 years old this year!)
> Kath Dunn-Mines of Yorkshire Coast Gigs picks her top Scarborough music picks of 2025
ENJOY!

17/10/2025

LATE NOTICE… for an intriguing history exhibition in Scarborough this weekend featuring talking gargoyles and tales from Dean Road prison, workhouse and cemetery. Called Street of Life - Up Dean Road, it’s at St Columba Church, Sat 10am-4pm and Sun 19 noon-4pm (corner of Dean Road and Columbus Ravine).

It’s a project by local artist Jayne Shipley, plus Anna and Casey from Yorkshire Coast Sight Support and students from Personalised Learning (and funded by Historic England and the UK Government). The gargoyles will narrate stories of people linked to the prison and workhouse and exhibits are as accessible as possible to blind and visually impaired people.

�Watch this space for details of upcoming film screenings from the project in the next month or so…

03/10/2025

Various appealing October goings-on have come to Spy’s radar weeks after the Sept/Oct mag went out. Here’s a round up, starting TONIGHT from 7pm with…

> Tapstock, Fri 3-Sun 5 Oct, The Tap&Spile Scarborough, Falsgrave – a weekend musical feast: programme on the photo (NB Mark Stanley replaces Fuzz Junkies)
> Also tonight… until 10.30pm and Sat 4, 1-10.30pm, funfair, William St Coach Park
Oct cinema at Stephen Joseph Theatre – Downton Abbey, The Roses, lopera, theatre and musical theatre screenings, classic treats and ‘Fright fest’ series
> Music at The Cask & Keg Scarborough, newly opened with revamped Cask Club in basement – Sats, some Fris and open mic Weds, from Beetlebug + Luka to Deep Sea Daggers to Alastair James - Singer Songwriter Musician to Graham Watson… programme
> Sat 11-Sun 12 Oct, Scarborough Streets Autumn Edition, The Scarborough Fair – free music, theatre, dance and magic around the town, in partnership with Stephen Joseph Theatre
> Sat 11 Oct-21 Dec, Scarborough Art Winter edition, The Scarborough Fair – exhibitions, installations and workshops: find more details of Nov/Dec dates in Spy’s Nov/Dec issue; meanwhile, October’s programme will be viewable at soon at scarboroughfair.uk
> Fri 17 Oct, 6pm, Emily Gaskell plays at Hartleys Cafe at Scarborough Rugby Union Football Club
> Sun 19 Oct, 7pm, open evening at Scarborough Sub Aqua Club 83, 25 St Mary’s St, next to Leeds Arms Scarborough
> Wed 22 Oct, The Penguin Lessons at Scalby Cinema at the Temperance Hall Scalby (scalbycinema.co.uk)
> Wed 29-Fri 31 Oct, Hallowscream Express haunted ghost train rides on Scarborough North Bay Railway

PLUS some reminders of rare upcoming chances…
> Sat 11 Oct: new exhibition, Unsettled Grounds, at Old Parcels Office Artspace featuring Scarborough artists such as Kane Cunningham and Molly Newham among others, exploring connection with landscape
> Tues 14 Oct, 7.15pm: Memoir-writing workshop with Wendy Pratt (author of The Ghost Lake; see Storylines, Spy issue 10) at Newby & Scalby Library, hosted by Scarborough Writers' Circle (for more on this thriving group, see p25 of current Spy); £4 guests
> Fri 17 Oct, 7.30pm: The Nutcracker ballet in the Grand Hall at Scarborough Spa from Imperial Classical Ballet

PLUS… Spy social hour is back for autumn/winter/spring: I’ll be at Deli Delicious at Scarborough Market Hall & Vaults from 11am-noon on Tues, 14 Oct. Bring a letter, a poem, cash for a subscription (£16/year), a story idea… or just come and say hello!

03/09/2025

Here’s the cover of Sept/Oct Spy, a joyous artwork by Mary Naylor celebrating activity on the water, with the castle headland and sunshine as a backdrop, inviting us to make the most of the back end of this beautiful summer. Covering two months, this is the largest edition yet at 44 pages. Subscribers’ copies landed a few days ago and the issue is now out at the usual places around town. Inside you will find…

– 23 pages of what’s on listings, plus interviews with the people behind various Sept/Oct gigs, exhibitions, talks and events, including… Paul Nash and Maethelyiah of The Danse Society Official, Mark Gordon, director of Scarborough Jazz Festival, and Molly Newham, curator of the Old Parcels Office Artspace autumn heritage exhibition; James Koppert, podcaster on the paranormal; The Ivy Cavern's Kate Pick, creator of the Scarborough Ghost, and Charlotte Hill - Arts, Design, Crafts, whose mural has transformed a corner of the Market Hall. Plus: Chris Hall on Heritage Open Days, Sue Grogan on Scarborough Writers' Circle and Ellie Evans on Scarborough's new parkrun UK and Scarborough Library (back issues of Spy now available to browse there on request btw).
– Tribute to entertainment maestro Tony Peers of Tony Peers Ltd
– Cover artist: Mary Naylor (https://marynaylor.format.com), whose eyes were first opened to community artworks in Bogota, Columbia
– Made in Scarborough: Lee Threadgold and Dawn Dyson-Threadgold of Animated Objects, whose next big event is Moonlight on the Lake at Peasholm Park
– Tim Tubbs on Sir Alfred Fripp, the royal medic who attended Prince Albert Victor in 1890 during his stay at the Royal Hotel
– Shortlist, food & drink: very highly commended – Wolds Restaurant at Orchard Lodge Wolds Restaurant and Accommodation, the fine-dining spot in Flixton nominated by diners for a Good Food Award for the third year running; and Askim’s, the Mediterranean place on Huntriss Row that sits almost constantly at the top of the Tripadvisor rankings
– Shortlist, Huntriss Row gents’ clothing – Streffords (https://www.facebook.com/p/Streffords-100063664554980/) and David Scaife Menswear, two family-run independents, with rich history and a dynamic, forward-thinking approach
– Storylines: The Famous (and Forgotten) Five Funicular Railways of Scarborough, a fascinating history by Amy Bartle of the family-owned Central Tramway Co (look out for Heritage Open Days there this month)

Enjoy it all!

PS Spy accidentally omitted a fab-looking exhibition that’s on this month at Gallery 6 on Victoria Rd (5-27 Sept, Wed-Sat 11am-3pm). All are welcome at the preview this Sat, 5.30-8pm.

07/08/2025

This is the cover of August Spy, with a beautiful illustration of the Clock Tower by Alex Anderson of Homebird House. It has been out for more than a week - sorry for the late notice: still a few to pick up in some of the usual places if you are quick...

Here's what you'll find inside:
- 17 pages of what's on listings, from music to talks to activities, plus stories of the people who make it all happen
- Behind the scenes with the wonderful Scarborough Spa Orchestra, which plays seven times a week at Scarborough Spa until 17 September (and the forecast for the next Suncourt performances, Sun-Wed, looks amazing btw)
- Charlotte Oliver names her top five Scarborough things and places: she's among the poets to appear at the weekly August Sunday afternoon Music and Poetry in the Italian Gardens
- Q&A with cover artist Alex Anderson
- Scarborough Lives: Tim Tubbs on the early pierrots, showbiz entrepreneurs of the late 19th century
- Shortlist/food & drink: seaside cafes, part 3 - The Watermark Cafe and Regal Lady Bar & Museum
- Shortlist/shopping: St Nicholas St boutiques - Ginger & Gray and Cosmetique in Scarborough
- Storylines: Simon Murgatroyd's limited-edition new book, A Theatrical Revolution: Celebrating Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre – plus an illuminating interview with the author

Enjoy!

14/07/2025

Word has reached Spy of Language For Fun's weekly summer reading groups, which start tomorrow (Tues 15 July) and run most weeks until the end of Sept. Join in if you want to chat with locals next time you go to a French-, Italian- or Spanish-speaking country – or just to connect with fellow linguists here. Timings as follows...

Tues: French 2-3.15pm, Italian 3.15-4.30pm and French 6.30-7.45pm
Wed: Spanish 4.45-6pm, Italian 6-7.15pm
Thurs: Spanish 5.30-6.45pm

Among the books teacher Alison has in store is the Italian edition of Glenda Young - Author's second Scarborough book (Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel) – a definite Spy fave. Sign up to a group by contacting Alison ([email protected] or 07986 534709).

Plus... if anyone fancies another mind-expanding activity this week, head to the Scarborough Business Ambassadors breakfast (Wed 16 July, 8am, Scarborough UTC, £12) to learn about the F1 in Schools (STEM Racing HQ) team from Scarborough UTC who are due to represent the UK at the World Finals in Singapore in September.

At the UK national finals this bright young team scored more points than any team in the competition’s history. Meet these young champions, see the tech in action, get hands-on with their race car and try your own timed run. The event is raising funds to help the team get out to Singapore. Book here:

Book Tickets for SBA Breakfast: Eating Breakfast to help the STEM Racing Team get to Singapore . Event starts on Wed, 16 Jul, 2025 at 08:00 am and happening at Scarborough UTC, Scarborough, EN. Register or Buy Tickets, Price information.