Scarborough

Extract from The New Travel Book -
North of Watford Gap - John Brown

Scarborough proudly boasts that 'it was the first real seaside resort in the country, and that people were taking the waters'
(a reference to bathing not stealing it) as far back as 1650'. How this boast by the local tourist board and others is qualified? I have no idea. They can't produce ye ancient photographic or video evidence, and not even a great deal of documentary back up - so I think for the moment we will have to take them at their word.

 I am afraid my memories of Scarborough are far more recent, and in stark contrast to past events, very well documented. This is how one major event in the town's history was reported by the Independent in 1993 ----

'A HUGE landslip was threatening last night to topple one of Scarborough's most prestigious hotels over the south bay cliffs into the sea.
The fall of thousands of tons of rock, sand and soil tore open the side of the Holbeck Hall Hotel leaving parts of the building tottering on the edge of the cliffs. Guests were woken shortly after 7am yesterday when cracks appeared in the hotel gardens. Staff quickly evacuated the 50 people staying in the hotel.
Throughout the day huge chunks of earth dropped away 200ft into the sea. The landslip was at one point moving at 10ft an hour
 The 30-roomed hotel was built in 1880 and stands on high cliffs to the south of Scarborough. It is the North Yorkshire town's only four- star hotel and is built in a mock 15th- century style with a baronial hall and minstrels' gallery. In 1932 the property was sold to Tom Laughton, the brother of the actor Charles Laughton who occasionally helped run the business in Scarborough.
 The landslip began late on Thursday evening but it was not thought to be a threat to the hotel. However, shortly after dawn yesterday Peter Swales, who lives locally, saw the slip moving fast towards the hotel while walking his dog. He raised the alarm and the evacuation began.'

 I love the way that even in an article as unusual as this, the Independent managed to shoe-horn the name of a past celebrity into their article – very well done.
 You won't I'm sure, be surprised to know that a huge portion of this fine building did in fact end up on the beach below. I was intending to stay in Scarborough this evening, but decided to step at least a promenade width back from the sea. I rather like the idea of waking up where I went to sleep, in preference to feeling sand and seawater lapping around the foot of my bed.