Futurist Theatre in Scarborough
By Kate Whitaker
PLANS TO demolish Scarborough’s landmark Futurist Theatre were approved at a planning meeting yesterday (Friday).
Councillors voted 11 to three in favour of flattening the site despite concerns that this should not go ahead until a scheme for redevelopment had been put forward.
Scarborough Borough Council had backed the idea of demolition and redevelopment in January, but yesterday approved the details. These also include levelling the former Mermaid building and the adjoining shops and stabilising a cliff by resurfacing ground including the King Street Car Park.
More than 70 individual objections were made as well as from the Theatre Trust, The Cinema Theatre Association, SAVE Britain’s Heritage and the Twentieth Century Society.
Objectors’ comments called it a “landmark local building of great historic and architectural value, treasured by the local community”.
Resident June Broadbent, 60, of Jasmine Park, said: “It is quite worrying that we don’t exactly know what will happen to the site.
“I don’t want the beauty of Scarborough sea front to be ruined by a building site and a space that is not being filled. My main concern is that it will drive tourists away from the area instead of bringing them here.”
Residents were shown the plan of action for how the demolition will occur but concerns still linger about the future of the site.
Flamingo Land has expressed an interest in creating a holiday attraction there.
Since it was first built in 1921, the theatre has brought many shows and concerts over the years, including The Beatles, which brought tourists and money into the Scarborough area.
It closed in 2014 and has now become desolate, unused and an eyesore to the area.