Pride in Place Scarborough

The Old Town regeneration project aims to bring together residents, businesses, and local organisations to help shape the future of Scarborough’s Old Town. While we hope to establish a formal partnership, this may not happen immediately. What matters most is ensuring local people have a clear and structured way to influence decisions about improving their area.

The project will support residents and volunteers with training and guidance, helping them build the skills and confidence needed to take part. Their input will be central to creating a community-led plan that reflects local priorities and aspirations.

Project aims

• Establish a mechanism to bring the community together so their voice is heard
• Create a community-led plan to set out the key priorities for investment
• Improve the Old Town area and reduce incidents of anti-social behaviour

Support the transformation of the former Brunswick Centre into Square One (SQ1), a leisure-led destination with a multi-screen cinema, restaurants, and social spaces. Linked to the Station Gateway upgrades for better access and a vibrant town centre.

This project was suggested as feedback showed people wanted more things to do year-round and a lively evening economy.

Project aims

• Create a vibrant leisure destination 
• Boost footfall and economic activity
• Support a thriving evening economy and safer town centre

Sprucing Up Scarborough is a programme to tackle the day-to-day issues that most affect how the town centre looks and feels. It is based directly on what residents and businesses told us through consultation: the need to address empty and run-down buildings, deteriorating shopfronts, and the general decline in the public realm.

The programme focuses on three areas:

1. Shopfront and building improvements – helping improve the appearance of empty, tired or historic buildings
2. Public space enhancements – refreshing key streets and spaces to make them more welcoming and better used
3. Urban maintenance – supporting work that keeps the town centre cleaner, safer and well-cared for

Project aims

• Deliver visible improvements that lift the look and feel of the town centre
• Encourage community pride through clean-ups and collaborative activity
• Support businesses by improving confidence, attracting footfall and enhancing the overall environment
• Create a clearer identity for the town centre through coordinated improvements

We Are Scarborough will create a single volunteering hub to make it easier for people to get involved and give their time. The hub will combine an online platform with a physical base and outreach work, so people can access volunteering in ways that suit them.

The project will support local charities and community groups by helping them recruit, support, and keep volunteers. It will also offer training and practical tools for organisations, while helping residents find roles that match their interests and skills.

By increasing volunteering, the hub will improve wellbeing, reduce isolation, and help build stronger community networks.

Project aims

• Increase volunteer participation
• Strengthen local organisations
• Promote wellbeing and reduce isolation
• Build stronger community networks

A year-round programme of festivals and events, including Scarborough Streets, Scarborough Fringe, Scarborough Extreme, and Scarborough Lights. Designed to bring life to the town centre and celebrate local culture.

This project was suggested as Scarborough Fair brings energy and culture back to the town centre through festivals and events that celebrate local identity.

Project aims

• Restore Scarborough’s vibrancy through arts, culture, and sport
• Enhance Scarborough’s appeal as a place to live, work, and visit
• Break down barriers to creative and physical activity for local people
• Provide inclusive opportunities for residents to participate and showcase talent

Turning Tides is a support programme for young people aged 15 to 21 in Scarborough. 

It focuses on building confidence, resilience and emotional wellbeing through trusted one-to-one support.

Young people are matched with a consistent coach who helps them through key life changes such as family breakdown, leaving school or returning to education or work. By offering early and personalised support, the programme helps prevent problems from escalating and reduces loneliness and isolation.

Project aims

• Support young people to improve wellbeing and resilience
• Strengthen referral links with housing, education, health and youth services
• Reduce loneliness by building trusted relationships
• Increase participation in education, training, volunteering and work
• Help young people feel confident and involved in their community

This project will create Scarborough's first dedicated Men's Wellbeing Hub. It will be a welcoming place for dads, male carers, and people caring for both children and older relatives to meet, learn new skills, and support each other.

The hub will focus on reducing isolation and improving mental wellbeing through peer support, wellbeing activities, and practical life skills sessions. By helping men feel more confident, connected, and supported, the project will also reduce pressure on local services.

Project aims

• Provide a safe and welcoming space for men in caring roles
• Reduce isolation and improve mental wellbeing
• Build confidence, resilience, and practical skills
• Strengthen peer support and community connections
• Support families by supporting the people who care for them

This project will create a network of youth-designed spaces across Scarborough for young people aged 11 to 18. These will be safe, welcoming places where young people can relax, socialise and access support.

Rather than creating one large youth centre, the youth spaces will be based in existing community, faith and voluntary spaces. This will make them more local, accessible and inclusive.

Young people will help design and shape each space, ensuring activities reflect what they actually want. The network approach will help spaces work together and connect young people to education, training and volunteering opportunities.

Project aims

• Increase the number and quality of safe spaces for young people
• Put young people at the centre of shaping local provision
• Improve links between community groups and services
• Reduce inequalities in access to youth activities

This project will upgrade key parts of the Stephen Joseph Theatre that are now outdated and failing. The air handling units and flat roof, installed in 1996, will be replaced to make the building watertight and more energy efficient.

New heat pump technology and modern control systems will improve comfort for audiences and staff while cutting carbon emissions and running costs.

At the same time, the McCarthy auditorium will be upgraded with new seating, better legroom, and full access improvements. These will include a lift, level access to the stage, and an accessible toilet. A new bar and breakout space will also be added, allowing the theatre to host a wider range of performances and conferences.

Project aims

• Secure the long-term future of Scarborough's only producing theatre
• Support the theatre's aim to become carbon neutral by 2030
• Improve access for all visitors, especially older and disabled people
• Improve the audience experience and the theatre's financial sustainability

This project will create a new coastal hub on Scarborough's South Bay, designed to help people connect with the sea, improve health and wellbeing, and bring new life to a key waterfront site.

The centre will provide a long-term home for local watersports groups with storage, changing facilities, coaching spaces and equipment hire. Alongside sport, the hub could also include spaces for events and performances, meeting pods, start-up retail units, a food court, shared workspaces and research spaces.

This project will create a lively destination for sport, culture and community life, improving quality of life, and boosting Scarborough's profile.

Project aims

• Make watersports more affordable and accessible for local people.
• Support physical and mental wellbeing through activity
• Strengthen Scarborough's cultural and social offer
• Attract regional, national and international events

The Scarborough Community Grant Fund is a small, resident-led funding programme to support local projects that make a real difference in Scarborough’s neighbourhoods. It will provide simple, flexible grants to help people turn local ideas into action.

Inspired by schemes such as Big Local and Voice Your Choice, the fund will focus on supporting people rather than large buildings or infrastructure. Residents will be encouraged to design and deliver projects that respond to local needs, from small environmental improvements to activities that bring people together.

Delivered over four years, the fund will help build confidence, skills, and local leadership, while creating visible improvements in neighbourhoods across Scarborough.

Project aims

• Support residents to design and deliver projects that improve their local area
• Build local skills, leadership, and community networks
• Increase participation in local decision-making and civic life
• Deliver visible improvements in wellbeing, environment, and community connections