Scarborough

Scarborough North Yorkshire, information about Scarborough, Scarborough England

Scarborough

In 1626, a Mrs Farrow discovered a stream of acid water running from one of the cliffs to the south of the town. This gave birth to Scarborough Spa, and attracted a flood of visitors to the town. Scarborough became Britain's first seaside resort, a position boosted with the coming of the railway in the 1840s.

Scarborough also has a high Mormon population and there is a Mormon Church situated near to the sixth form college.

Culture
Dramatist Alan Ayckbourn is based in Scarborough where he has lived for a number of years. He has produced some sixty plays in Scarborough and is the artistic director of the famous Stephen Joseph Theatre, where almost all his plays receive their first performance. The town also plays host to the annual National Student Drama Festival, which takes place at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, the Spa Centre and other venues around the town.

The area is also home to hundreds of artists working in a wide variety of media and boasts several galleries. The presence of the University of Hull Digital Arts and Yorkshire Coast College's Arts provision in the town help fuel a vibrant music and arts scene.

The town is home to a significant jazz festival each September and an eclectic rock and pop festival on the beach in the summer which features at least 50% local talent alongside internationally known artistes. In Summer 2005 Scarborough played host to the Sonic Arts Network Expo featuring cutting edge performances and installations.

These fairly recent developments married to a traditional museum and visual arts provision hint at Scarborough's desire to re-invent itself as a creative and arts-based town.

Education
The town has a small higher education institution, the University of Hull, Scarborough Campus, (formerly North Riding College and University College Scarborough) and is home to Yorkshire Coast College and Scarborough Sixth Form College, the latter is run by Tom Potter.

Education in Scarborough is notable for its commitment to the digital economy and as a result 2005 saw Scarborough's first showcase of digital industries "Digital Scarborough" take place featuring both businesses and educators from the local area demonstrating work of a world-class standard and hinting at a bright future for digital and creative industries in the region.

Famous residents and ex-residents
The Sitwells
Mark Richardson - of rock band Little Angels
Sir Jimmy Savile
Liz Dawn - 'Vera' in Coronation Street has a holiday home in Scarborough
Charles Laughton - actor and director
Fred Feast - actor, formerly of Coronation Street
Jonathan Greening - footballer with premiership side West Bromwich Albion
Robert Palmer
Jimmy Mistry - actor
Mike Kipling - photographer

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