Coastal Businesses "Doomed" by New Tax 🌊💸

Hey Scarborough! Here's what's happening this week 👋

Morning, Scarborough. It seems our wallets are in for another battering. Local firms are rightly fuming over the proposed tourist tax, with 71% of businesses calling the visitor levy a "terrible" way to treat guests. With families already feeling the pinch, adding a surcharge to a seaside stay feels like a move designed to keep the punters away. We want people on the sand, not checking their bank balances in a panic.

In more harmonious news, our very own Little Angels are finally showing the young ones how it is done🎸. The hard rock legends are reforming for a rare tour in November 2026. After fourteen years, the original lineup is back, proving that some things actually do get better with age.

Meanwhile, on the political front, Alison Hume MP has come out swinging for Sir Keir Starmer. Currently recovering from hip surgery, she has urged the party to stop the infighting, though a quiet hospital wing probably feels like a holiday compared to Westminster lately 🏛️.

Finally, get your frying pans ready for Tuesday🥞. The annual Pancake Day races return to North Street at midday. Expect fancy dress, seaside-style skipping, and the usual chaos. It is a bit of proper local fun, provided you don't drop your dinner in the gutter.

⚠️ Rob Dylan Giveaway Warning
We’re aware of a fake Facebook Page using our logo and images and claiming people have won our giveaway. This is not us. The winner (Roger W.) has been contacted directly via Facebook Messenger from our official page. Please ignore any other messages or links. Many thanks to Catherine for making us aware of this!

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📰 Scarborough Life

💸 Punters skint as new visitor levy looms. Local firms realise a tourist tax might discourage families already struggling with rising costs. Seventy-one per cent of businesses believe the extra charge is a terrible way to treat our visitors.

🎸 Scarborough’s Little Angels reunite for 2026. The local hard rock legends are "Big, Bad & Back" for a rare tour this November. After fourteen years away, the original lineup is returning to show the young ones how it’s actually done.

🥞 Get ready for a flipping marvellous time. The annual Pancake Day races return to North Street next Tuesday at midday. It involves fancy dress, skipping seaside-style, and the prestigious golden frying pan prize. Try not to drop your dinner in the gutter.

🍸 Bottomless drinks for your Saturday afternoon. Xanders is hosting a Galentine’s event with unlimited drinks and cocktails. You will need a deposit to secure a table, so do try to plan ahead before the prosecco starts flowing.

🏛️ Alison Hume MP backs the Prime Minister. Despite the national political turmoil, our MP has declared her firm support for Sir Keir Starmer while recovering from hip surgery. She insists the party shouldn't waste time on infighting, though her recovery sounds far more peaceful.

🐷 Swine and dine at the Highlander. Real pig racing returns Friday, 27th February at 8.30 pm for a high-energy charity night. A fiver gets you a pork sarnie while you back the winning porker for Lilly’s Reptile Rescue.

❄️ Get the de-icer ready. A yellow weather warning for snow and ice from Thursday evening. Expect treacherous pavements and travel disruption until Friday lunchtime. Best leave five minutes early to avoid a slippery mishap.

🎭 Celebrating thirty years in the building. The SJT marks three decades in its current home with a musical concert this April. It is a chance to see familiar faces back on stage, assuming they can still remember their lines.

🛗 A glimmer of hope for Whitby’s lift. A new inspection suggests the shaft is drier than feared, sparking calls to save the landmark from permanent closure. Councillors are pushing for a full survey before the 94-year-old facility is consigned to history.

🐒 Filey Bird Garden gets a promotion. The park reopens as Filey Zoo this February. With 75 species, including lemurs and meerkats, they have clearly outgrown the birdseed. It certainly makes life easier for the tourists to find.

💦 Reduced rates for the after-school run. Alpamare is offering discounted entry for a three-hour winter splash. At seven pounds fifty for children, it is a sensible way to tire them out before they cause chaos at home.

⛳️ North Bay Adventure Golf reopens this Saturday. It is still a work in progress, but the putting greens are back in action from 9 am. It has been a long wait, so do try not to lose your balls in the pond.

🚢 Choppy waters for the Endeavour. Whitby’s floating attraction sank to a one-star hygiene rating due to kitchen structural issues. Bosses blame the contractor for the mess and claim a follow-up visit went swimmingly, putting them back on course for five stars.

🎹 The Carpenters’ Story comes to the Spa. Relive the glittering career of pop’s most famous siblings on Friday, 5th June. Expect all the hits and perhaps a few tears; it is a proper musical journey for the sentimental.

🌊 Stormy weather dampens West Pier redevelopment hopes. Critics reckon building a new substation where waves frequently batter the RNLI station is a bit daft. Electricity and seawater rarely make for good companions, unless you are looking for a shock.

⚽️ Council mulls six-figure loan for Boro. Scarborough Athletic might get a £150k boost to survive their Bridlington exile while the 3G pitch is fixed. It is a commercial rate loan, so the taxman still gets his pound of flesh.

💪 Kitchen showroom to become 24-hour gym. The vacant Magnet site on Seamer Road is set to house a PureGym if council plans go through. It is a sustainable use for an abandoned building, though lifting weights is slightly more work than picking out cupboards.

⭐ Readers’ Choice: Top Posts From Last Issue

🦙 Farmer’s caravan plan told to "hop it". A plan for worker housing near Cayton is set for rejection after officers spotted only a handful of livestock.

🚌 Huge new bus depot coming to Scarborough. Developer Good REIT Ltd has secured a £4.1m loan to build a 139,000 sq ft bus depot.

👻 The Dark Tales Tour. Uncover Scarborough's unsettling past through theatrical stories of murder, crime & ghostly legends. Book now - if you’re brave enough!!

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🎸Events, Activities & Live Music

We keep it short here - head to our EVENTS PAGE for links and future events.

Friday, February 13

09:45 🎯 Social Bowls - Alexandra Community Centre, Scarborough
13:00 🧵 SEWcial Sewing & Textile Craft - Stitched by the Beach, Scarborough
18:00 💃 Line Dancing - Alexandra Community Centre, Scarborough
19:00 📷 Whitby Night Photography Workshop - Abbey House, Whitby
19:00 💖 Galentines - Royal Hotel Scarborough
19:45 🎭 Comedy: The Em Show - Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
20:00 🎤 Rod Gilbert & the Giant Grapefruit - Scarborough Spa Grand Hall
20:30 🎤 Open Mic Night - Crescent Lounge, Scarborough
21:00 🎶 Live Music Night - The Merchant Irish Bar, Scarborough

Saturday, February 14

08:00 🌊 Sea Swim - Filey Coble Landing Slip Wall End
11:30 🧘 Yogalates - Alexandra Community Centre, Scarborough
13:30 🎈 Kids Valentines Disco - Royal Hotel Scarborough
17:30 💖 Valentine's at The Lodge - East Ayton Lodge, Scarborough
19:00 👻 Tour: Dark Tales - To The Grand Hotel, Scarborough
20:00 💖 GALENTINES: Girls Evening - Rack n Roll Sports Bar, Scarborough
20:00 🚦 Traffic Light Party - YMCA Theatre, Scarborough
21:00 🎶 Live Music Night - The Merchant Irish Bar, Scarborough
21:00 🎶 The Old School: Live - Three Jolly Sailors Pub, Burniston
22:30 👻 Ghost hunt - Grand Hotel Scarborough

Sunday, February 15

10:00 🛍️ Table Top Sales - Crossgates Community Centre, Scarborough
14:00 🎧 Family Silent Disco - Stepney Hill Farm, Scarborough
16:00 🎭 Comedy: Pink Pony Club - Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
16:00 🎤 Under 20s Open Mic - Crescent Lounge, Scarborough
18:30 👻 Ghost Walk: Robin Hood's Bay
19:00 🎶 Sunday Sessions - Crescent Lounge, Scarborough

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📮 Community Classifieds

 🍔 Valentine's Day at Olympia Leisure, Scarborough - 2 cocktails and 2 burgers for £30. Available Feb 14 only. Limited spaces.

🥂 Romance Package at Sandburn Hall - Includes Prosecco, chocolates, a stay, breakfast, and dinner at Tykes Restaurant. Check out the deal and customer reviews.

🌊 Scarborough's Sea Life Centre is Open Year-Round. You can see turtles, rays, and colourful sea life; it’s the perfect indoor family day. Reserve your tickets.

💕 Valentine's at Cecil's Restaurant, Scarborough - 2 courses £39 or 3 courses £48, includes Prosecco. Feb 13-14. Find out more

🎸 On 7th March, The Rob Dylan Band bring their Rolling Thunder Revue to Scarborough, celebrating Bob Dylan’s songs. Details

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