Living in Scarborough
Set on the beautiful North Yorkshire Coast with stunning scenery and glorious beaches, Scarborough is a destination that has attracted visitors from near and far for over 400 years.
Scarborough is overlooked by a hilltop medieval castle dated from the 1150s, and became well known as a spa town and Britain’s first seaside resort in the 17th Century. During the 1800s it was home to the author Anne Bronte and saw the construction of The Crown and the Grand Hotel.
Despite its rich history, Scarborough isn't stuck in the past. It is continuously developing, making it an amazing place to live and study in the 21st century. Alongside the launch of the new campus and many start-up businesses, 2016 saw the opening of Alpamare, a new £15m waterpark. And it doesn’t stop there! Exciting future developments include the multi-million pound leisure and residential development on the North Bay and the Flamingo Land Coast project on the South Bay. Scarborough really does have something for everyone.
Arts and Culture
As the largest town on the Yorkshire coast, Scarborough acts as a cultural hub for the area.
There’s a lively local music scene and the Open Air Theatre attracts worldwide musicians from Noel Gallagher to Nile Rodgers, Britney Spears to Bastille and even Elton John. Scarborough even has its own answer to Glastonbury with Staxtonbury - a 3-day weekend festival which showcases local musical talent every July.
Outstanding drama is housed at the renowned Stephen Joseph Theatre – noted for hosting world premieres of Alan Ayckbourn’s award-winning plays. If you’re a fan of sci-fi, Scarborough is also home to an annual convention where you can meet film stars, artists and more.
The biggest names in comedy such as Noel Fielding, Bill Bailey and Jimmy Carr can be seen at the Spa Complex, and the 3-day arts and music event Coastival is a highlight in Scarborough each February.
Food and drink wise, the town is packed with independent restaurants, brewpubs, bars and delis. Whether you like real ale, cream teas or cocktails, the range of great eateries satisfy everybody’s taste, including quirky coffee houses such as Yay Coffee and the 2014 UK’s Best Café Eat Me.
For those in need of retail therapy, you can find everything from high street favourites to independent retailers and the real hidden gems of the town centre.
Sport
Scarborough has a strong sporting heritage, showcased with a world-famous annual cricket festival that been taking place 1876. The town also plays host to:
- UK Pro Surfing tour
- Scarborough Surf Festival
- Barry Sheene Road Race Festival
- Powerboat Racing Grand Prix
- Tour de Yorkshire
For those wanting to get active, surfing lessons are very popular and the National Park and Dalby Forest offer a range of hiking and mountain bike trails, as well as Go Ape.
The new Scarborough Leisure Village is home to an eight-lane Olympic Legacy swimming pool, a four-court sports hall, 60-station fitness suite and more. It's also home to a new ground for Scarborough Athletic Football Club, which opened in 2017 – right next door to CU Scarborough!
