£200k Boost for Scarborough To Bring New Technology and New Landmark to the Town Centre

A new hi-tech street cleaning machine should be in use in Scarborough by July as part of improvements to the town centre which is also to get a new landmark large scale mural.

Scarborough is set to benefit from a significant programme of improvement work focused on its town centre, supported by an allocation of over £200,000 from North Yorkshire Council.

This funding is part of a joint effort involving residents, businesses, voluntary groups, and council staff to boost civic pride, revitalise run-down areas, and encourage more visitors ahead of the busy summer season.

The initiative follows a recent consultation called ‘Let’s Talk Scarborough’, where people's priorities were identified. The results showed that over 60 per cent of respondents felt the town centre needed improvement, including better cleaning, appearance, feel, and overall vibe. Residents specifically expressed a desire for a town centre that looked better, felt safer, and was more welcoming, with tidier shopfronts and well-maintained public spaces.

A range of improvements are planned using the council's dedicated funds. These include investment in state-of-the-art cleaning equipment to more effectively tackle problem areas, support for community-led activities, and brightening spaces with vibrant flower and shrub planting. 

Additional measures involve the provision of a town centre caretaker, commissioning a large-scale mural to celebrate Scarborough’s identity, and efforts to improve shopfronts and bring empty units back into use. The programme also covers installing new litter bins and benches, and refreshing existing street furniture.

Cllr Heather Phillips, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for corporate services, described Scarborough as “a jewel in North Yorkshire’s crown” but acknowledged areas requiring attention. She stated, “We have listened to what people have said and are acting accordingly”. Cllr Phillips added that while a number of projects have already been carried out, this is just the start, with more developments expected in the coming weeks and months.

"There was a recent consultation, uh, let's talk Scarborough. And the results of that showed that, over 60% of people thought that Scarborough Town Centre needed improved. 

It needed in cleaning up, it needed to have a better look, a better feel, a vibe. We are going to be brightening up with colourful flowers and cleaner streets.

Try and make sure that some of the shop fronts look better, generally just giving it a better feel in the town centre."

These improvements are also expected to attract more visitors and businesses, increasing footfall and supporting economic growth. North Yorkshire’s visitor economy is worth more than £4 billion a year, with Scarborough responsible for about £561 million, much of which is generated by the 3.8 million visitors to the town.

The long-term initiative includes more than 30 projects which aim to improve the town centre environment, increase footfall and make people feel safer. North Yorkshire Police’s operations commander for neighbourhood policing, Chief Inspector Lucy McNeill, said the force is fully behind the scheme.

"The feel of a town has a massive impact on how safe people feel within it. There's a thing called the broken window syndrome, so if people see broken windows, it has the knock on effect of people not taking care of things and not worrying about their environment.

So I think the more that we can do to try and improve the town centre and the surrounding areas it just gives people that much more pride in where they're living and where they're visiting."

While acknowledging the council's efforts, Cllr Phillips added, “As a council, however, we can only do so much”. She encouraged people to contribute by keeping Scarborough tidy, stating that the support of everyone is needed to ensure the improvements are long-lasting. 

Community involvement has already played a key role. Council staff, partner organisations, businesses, and over 70 volunteers joined forces for a two-day community action event in March. This 'Spring clean' included litter picking across several locations, tidying green spaces, painting railings, and collecting 20 bags of litter with help from groups like Keep Scarborough Tidy and North Yorkshire Police Cadets. 

Routine cleaning efforts by council staff also include removing graffiti, chewing gum, and jet washing pedestrianised areas. An additional 15 bins and two new benches have been installed, alongside maintenance for others. A new hi-tec street cleaning machine is currently being trialled and is hoped to be in use by July.