The Old Parcels Office is once again taking part in Heritage Open Days. This year’s special exhibition charts the development of the entertainment industry in Scarborough from the 1660s to the present day.
The rapid growth of Scarborough as a holiday destination led to a thriving entertainment industry offering everything from music halls, dance halls, skating rinks, swimming pools, aquariums, arcades, theatres and cinemas. Some of these attractions remain today and have reinvented themselves for the new generation of holiday makers, whilst others lasted for just a few short years before falling into disrepair and ultimately being demolished.
As well as the exhibition featuring maps, postcards, and memorabilia there will be a map for a self-guided walking trail to enable visitors to discover the sites of some of the lost and the remaining entertainment attractions for themselves.
Much of the material used in the exhibition has been provided by local architect Adrian Spawforth, whose family have a longstanding connection with Scarborough. Adrian has also written a booklet to accompany the show.
