Welcome to Yorkshire

Yorkshire's got a lot going for it - fantastic scenery, friendly people, world heritage sites, iconic, um, heritage sites, oh and great shopping and Michelin starred restaurants... I'm trying to remember this from a Welcome to Yorkshire presentation I've just been to, and I've got to say that those TV ads about Yorkshire are accurate. If there's any truth in the rumour that Harvey Nichols are putting in a bid then we've got it all on the Yorkshire coast too.

The only thing missing from the TV ads for Yorkshire is the Yorkshire motto. What? You're from Surrey and you don't know the Yorkshire motto? You'll be saying next that Freddie Trueman 's fiery spirit hasn't been the single greatest influence on your life...

Anyway, the Yorkshire motto, here it is: Hear all, see all, say nowt. Eat all, sup all, pay nowt. And if thy ever does owt for nowt, allus do it for thissen.

You don't understand it? That's hardly my problem... oops, just slipped into living by the Yorkshire motto there... I'm sure you can get the gist though, just look me in the eye and nod every now and then and we've got some sort of rapport going across the vast cultural divide that we are bridging through the power of the Internet.

So that's the Yorkshire motto, which is pretty miserable and not necessarily the ideal way to live your life, although you'll notice that as I was born and bred in Yorkshire I'm unable to disown it completely. It's our motto, for Fred's sake. But, I can to some extent understand why welcome to Yorkshire aren't using it in the TV advertising - although I can see an opening shot panning across some rain washed back to back houses to an old man in a flat cap waiting for a tram and grumbling 'Allus do it for thissen.' Although I might be thinking of Last of the Summer Wine.

But, breaking with tradition, I'm prepared to so something for everyone, selflessly - although if anyone does find the following useful then please feel free to send a contribution towards by curd tart habit. What I'm going to do is suggest a new Yorkshire motto that is unfailingly positive in it's usefulness. Here it is: What'll 'od a lot'll 'od a little, but what'll 'od a little'll not allus 'od a lot.

You see, it's even got 'allus' in it, which is allus the key to any good Yorkshire motto. In the unlikely event that this needs translating, here it is again: What will hold a lot will hold a little, but what will hold a little will not always hold a lot. It's better said with the original Yorkshire inflection as my father-in-law (Yorkshire through and through apart from a brief flirtation with Humberside) as I were lookin' for't little barra to tek muck up t' top field (actually I was looking for a Tuperware container to put some left-overs in - but the principle is the same).

So, Welcome to Yorkshire: What'll 'od a lot'll 'od a little, but what'll 'od a little'll not allus 'od a lot... and you know what, Yorkshire does 'od a lot.

Written in the fantastic Clock Cafe on Scarborough's South Cliff,


perfect when it's sunny, perfect for sheltering from the rain - and just a stone's throw (if thrown by Sir Fred) from Yorkshire's popular B&B The Waves.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Sandside,Scarborough,United Kingdom

6 Scarborough’s Handle Emporium

Four Candles? – Scarborough’s Handle Emporium

People often ask me, ‘Kev, where would you go to buy handles in Scarborough?’

Well, I would have said ‘Try Clock Handyman on Victoria Road, or B&Q, or the special handle place on North Street,’ but that was before I discovered H E Savill on St Martin’s Place. It’s unprepossessing and their external signage is minimal.

But, when we were looking for wardrobe and drawer handles for the new furniture at popular Scarborough b&b The Waves, someone told me to try Savill’s and I discovered it was only round the corner and I’d passed it hundreds of times. It turned out they were one of the country’s leading suppliers of reproduction handles, clasps, escutcheons and pretty well every sort of brass fitting and filigree you could ever want – including replacement brass parts for military chests, doors, drawers, windows, tables… everything.

Savill’s is predominantly a wholesale business serving the antique and reproduction trade – they don’t make the handles and other items themselves, but they get them made and then distribute them on to those who need handles. And who amongst us can say that we don’t need handles? You know, without handles, life would be a series of closed doors, missed opportunities and ultimately dissatisfaction. Savill’s are working as hard as anyone to change that.

When I knocked on Savill’s door and asked if they sold direct to the public I was told they did and I was directed up a glorified ladder to the stock room lined with hundreds and hundreds of boxes full of handles. It was handle nirvana and after pulling a few cardboard boxes from the shelves to show me samples I found just what I wanted.

It’s the kind of place that I didn’t think existed any more – no frills, doing what they do and doing it well. Supplying handles.

H E Savill, for all your handle and related requirements – 01723 373032.

Kevern
2009

5. The Best Hot Chocolate in Scarborough

The Best Hot Chocolate in Scarborough – Le Chat Noir

People often ask me, ‘Kev, where will I find the best mug of hot chocolate in Scarborough?’

I always ask for clarification. ‘Are you seeking the kind of hot chocolate experience where you rush inside a steamy café to escape from the howling wind and driving rain? You sit at a formica table and warm your hands on the mug as you wipe the condensation from the window (that’s quite a tricky manoeuvre so careful you don’t spill any – especially if you’re wearing a white puffa jacket because then you might start to wish you’d just stayed outside because that’s going to take ages to wash out) and let the warm sweetness revive you as you watch the waves crashing over the sea wall. Or do you just want the best mug of hot chocolate in Scarborough?’

‘Best mug of hot chocolate in Scarborough, isn’t that what I said?’

In that case, the choice is clear. Le Chat Noir creperie on Eastborough does fantastic hot chocolate – proper continental hot chocolate, thick and chocolatey, rather than thin and sugary. It’s the real stuff – which isn’t surprising because Jann at Le Chat Noir is French and obviously they know beaucoup about le chocolat chaud. The mocha is really good too – chocolate and coffee that will pick you up and send you back out with a resolve to ignore the howling wind and the driving rain – weren’t you wearing a puffa jacket anyway, what’s all the fuss about?

If you do want the first experience, then there’s a handful of cafés from the harbour around the Marine Drive that offer the perfect seaside atmosphere – but that’s not what you asked.

Le chat noir

10 Eastborough (near indoor market), 01723 350653

www.lechatnoircreperie.co.uk

Kevern
2009

4. The Spa Cliff Lift, Scarborough

The Spa Cliff Lift – Britain’s First Funicular

People often say to me, ‘Kev, which is best, going up in the cliff lift or going down in the cliff lift?’ I smirk imperceptibly then tell them, ‘As with so many things, it depends where you’re starting from.’

What we do know is that the South Cliff Lift was Britain’s first cliff lift. It opened in 1875 having been built by the Scarborough South Cliff Tramway Company Limited to link the South Cliff, Esplanade and popular coastal B&B The Waves to the Spa – which at the time was the most popular music venue outside London (what’s changed?).

There are two lifts – as one travels up, the other travels down. Originally this was achieved by pumping water into a tank in the upper lift and letting gravity work its magic. The water pumps were replaced with an electric winding system in the 1930s. (As I write this I’m sitting in Le Chat Noir creperie in Scarborough and on the wall is a quote from Albert Einstein saying, ‘Gravity can’t be held responsible for people falling in love,’ we can only speculate whether this was the thinking behind the change to the electric winding system.)

The lift was such a success that in the 1945-46 season it carried over one million people. It also inspired the creation of four other lifts in the town although the only other lift still in operation is the town centre lift by the Grand Hotel.

The lift was taken over the Borough Council in 1993 – realising how important it is to both the Spa and hotels and guest houses on the South Cliff – which is important for people who don’t want to walk up and down the cliff paths. Sometimes people find the paths too steep, sometimes their legs are too tired after dancing into the early hours at a wedding do or Northern Soul or Rock ‘n’ Roll event at the Ocean Room. The lift does usually run until shows and events at the Spa have finished – it’s always worth checking the chalk board at the top to see when the last lift runs back. (If you’ve missed the lift, the cliff path the snakes up alongside it is lit at night.)

Back to the question we started with: the common feeling is that the best value to be had from a 70p cliff lift journey is to travel upwards. After a long hard day making sand castles, riding donkeys and eating ice creams, then the lift is an appealing alternative to dragging children, pushchairs, your grandma, and even your donkey (sometimes on holiday it’s hard to say ‘no’ to the children’s requests) up the paths. On the other hand, as you look out of the lift, it is more exciting to see the ground rise towards you as you hurtle downwards, so really, it’s a satisfying experience either way.

Information from ‘A Brief History of the Scarborough Spa Lift’ available for 20p from the pay box (which is at the bottom).

Kevern
2009

3. Boyes Department Store, Scarborough

Boyes Department Store – A Scarborough institution

People often ask me, ‘Kev, whereabouts in Scarborough should I go for bargain housewares, haberdashery, small black cross head screws and ultrafine wire wool?’

Of course, there’s only one answer – Boyes, or Boyses as it’s often known locally. It’s a Scarborough institution. You’ll find it on Queen Street, just set back from Scarborough’s main shopping street, where it was established as ‘The Remnant Warehouse’ in 1886 – and it’s still regarded as a good place to go for fabric, wool, brocade, buttons, lace, frills and tassels. In fact, I think when I followed the Blue Peter instructions to make a gonk back in 1970, I got some of the components from Boyes – no lace, frills or tassels though, it was quite a manly gonk.

You can find out more about Boyes on their website: http://www.boyes.co.uk/ - which seems like some kind of travesty because when you step into Boyes you do feel you’ve stepped into a world of shopping that existed long before anyone had thought of the internet. But, if you like to browse, Boyes is a treasure trove and I’d defy anyone not to find a little knick knack or gizmo that they couldn’t find anywhere else – at least not at such a bargain price. As the Boyes’ value statement says, ‘To Boyes "Good Value" is a combination of quality and price.’

If you’re moved to find out more about Boyes’ history then why not plan a visit to Bridlington where the local Boyes has a museum about the history of the store. As the more famous value department store Woolworths has declined, Boyes has expanded – there’s even a Boyes in Melton Mowbray now, although somehow it doesn’t have the charm of the original Boyes in Scarborough. Coming from Scarborough, seeing Boyes in Melton Mowbray just seemed wrong – but maybe people from Melton Mowbray feel the same when they see a pork pie in Scarborough.

Boyes appears to have thrived since it opened in 1881. A 1903 sale advert on display outside Boyes’ café in Scarborough (top floor) features ‘Cycle bells, Japanese Bread Boats, Bed Ticks, Tea Cosies and Children’s Overalls.’ You can probably still buy all those items from the modern store, well, maybe not the bed ticks. In fact, what better; when the children are asking for some cheap plastic tat on sale along the Foreshore, get them a pair of overalls and get them sweeping a chimney. Those were the days.

The old posters and advertisements outside the café are worth a look. They’ve advertised on cricket score cards over the years:

1927: ‘Famous WALK ROUND stores.

1947: ‘The shop a man can stroll round.

1980: ‘Hi folks, having a great time at Boyes Department store. It’s got something for everyone and it’s open 6 days a week as well as lifts to all floor and car parking facilities. Wish you were here. Scarborough’s most popular walk round department store.’

That’s probably still true.

Here are my small black cross head screws and ultrafine wire wool:

You can see the screws in use holding the room numbers in place at popular Scarborough b&b accommodation The Waves.

Kevern
2009

2. The Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough

A friend said to me over Christmas that he couldn't live in Scarborough because there wasn't enough cultural 'stuff' going on. There's two points I'd make in response to that:

1) There's loads of cultural stuff going on.
2) It's not an issue because he lives somewhere else anyway (and it isn't even a place that has the longest running seaside show in the country, that's for sure. But let's not get bitter).



Before attempting to explore the full range of Scarborough's cultural acitivites, you have to start with the Stephen Joseph Theatre, surely one of the best known theatres outside London... or Stratford... or Edinburgh... or Hull... it's quite well known anyway. Being called the Stephen Joseph Theatre is slightly confusing because it is regarded as Alan Ayckbourn's theatre. Ayckbourn retired as Artistic Director of the Theatre a week ago, after holding the position since 1972. During that time he's premiered many of his 72 plays in Scarborough and he still remains as Guest Director. The Theatre in Scarborough has obviously been shaped by Ayckbourn's vision, but in turn he was influenced by Stephen Joseph.

Stephen Joseph was an actor, writer, set designer and producer, from the Cambridge Footlights Review in 1947, to teaching at the Central School of Speech and Drama. He also studied at Iowa University and while he was in America saw performances set 'in the round'. On his return to England he became frustrated with there was a lack of intimacy in large proessional theatures and that a change was needed to make theatre attractive to a modern audience. He wanted to start his own theatre, but the expense of doing this made it impossible, he says, "until I recalled that one of my notes on the theatre in the round pointed out its economy. And then it was simply a question of finding a place and forming a company."

That place became Scarborough. Following a lecture in the area he was shown the Concert Room at Scarborough Public Library and that became the Library Theatre. It opened in the summer of 1955 with the unique feature of the audience being sitted on all four sides of the stage. It was the first professional theatre in the round in the UK. Alan Ayckbourn became a stage manager and actor at the theatre, and, after complaining about the quality of the lines he was expected to speak, Stephen Joseph suggested that he wrote a better script himself. Ayckbourn gave it a go and wrote his first play, performed in 1959.

(Information on Stephen Joseph from 'A Profile of Stphen Joseph' by Ren Yaldren.

Ayckbourn continued Stephen Joseph's vision in the theatre, taking it from the Library to become the Theatre in the Round (at the old Westwood School by Valley Bridge) to it's current form as the Stephen Joseph Theatre - still, characteristically, in the round.

The Theatre dominates the top of the town, especially at night when it's neon lights emphasise the art deco masterpiece of the old Odeon Cinema. As a member of the audience, seeing theatre in the round means that, when compared to the proscenium arch (no culture?) you are always close to the stage. Ayckbourn has said that theatre in the round, "Brings us back to the basic bulding blocks of theatre, just actors and audience withouth anything getting in between. It is electrifying: you get so close to the actors. Every time I work on a prescenium arch stage, I come back here saying, 'Now I see why the round is the only way.'"

That's all great, but it overlooks a crucial feature of theatre in the round; that you can see the other members of the audience. This wasn't so good when I went on a school trip the see The Caretaker. A lad from another school far far away had obviously been engaging in the important schoolboy preparation for the theatre by drinking Carling Black Label until it was almost spilling out of him. Then at a crucial point in the performance, possibly an important exchange about Sidcup, it did spill out of him. It was horrible. Even the actors stopped to watch what was going on.

On a more positive note, you might look across the stage and spot one of your old teachers sitting opposite you - with their arm around someone who used to be in your class... maybe. Or you might see John Byrne, the author of Tutti Frutti, the greatest ever TV drama. I'm sure it was him last time I went, and hopefully he was there setting up a performance of Tutti Frutti.

So, ultimately, just how cultural does the Stephen Joseph Theatre make Scarborough. Well, let me tell you this. I went down there a few days ago to buy tickets for John Shuttleworth, only to be faced by a queue a mile long for Othello starring Lenny Henry. Now, if Lenny Henry was peforming at the Futurist on the sea front, there probably wouldn't have been a queue. And if Othello had been announced at the theatre, there probably wouldn't have been a queue. So, why was there a big queue for Othello featuring Lenny Henry? If we can answer that, then we're making strides towards understanding culture.

It's over to you - culture/theatre/Lenny Henry? I'm just going to pose a couple of thoughts.

1) People are keen to see Othello because they think Lenny is going to do it in his Deakus voice.
2) Most people were actually queueing for John Shuttleworth tickets.
3) Pretty much everything you see at the Stephen Joseph Theatre is fantastic.

Kevern
The Waves - coastal bed and breakfast
www.scarboroughwaves.co.uk

1. The Market Vaults - Scarborough

The Market Vaults really are one of Scarborough’s hidden gems. The market itself is a huge building, but you’d even miss that if you were rushing down the main street to catch a donkey ride. The market is to the left off Newborough (from the station you’ve got Westborough, Newborough, Eastborough and then the harbour) – somewhere behind Boyes and Argos.

Once you’re there you can’t miss the market, but unless you’re looking for fruit and veg, meat products, DIY equipment or bobble hats, the market probably won’t keep you long… Actually, all that sounds quite interesting, but the market vaults are the real treasure trove. About 30 shops – not really shops as we know them, more a cross between Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley and the stalls at Glastonbury – have been squeezed into the passages beneath the market. So if you’re looking for a shopping experience that’s the complete opposite to the Brunswick Centre is its chain store outlets then this is the place to come because everything here is a one off.

The Trading Post is a great place to start – a small piece of Arizona transported to the Yorkshire coast, with a selection of Navajo Indian artifacts, cowboy boots, belts and bootlace ties, some with scorpions in them. Along from the Trading Post you’ll find the Tin Shop – which really does what it says on the, uhm, tin. It’s like a museum selling all sorts of nostalgia tins, magazines and collectible bric a brac. As you browse you’ll almost certainly find yourself saying, ‘We had one of those.’

You feel like you’ve stepped back in time? Then how about The Clock Shop (oh, very clever) which is packed with beautifully restored grandfather clocks, mantel clocks and barometers etc. If you’re looking for a present for your grandfather and have a couple of thousand pounds to spend this could be just the place. On the other hand, as grandfathers are getting younger all the time (or is it that grandchildren are getting older?) maybe he’d prefer a classic album from the second-hand record shop tucked away in the back corner. Its name is an indecipherable graffiti squiggle, but there’s some great singles, LPs and CDs inside – so maybe get an original on Two Tone and party like it’s 1979. Go next door to Beat Nik for vintage clothing and you might fix yourself up with a Harrington jacket and a pork pie hat (failing that, bob back up to the market and get some packing tape, a bobble hat and a pork pie – let’s think outside the box).

Then for a sit down and a cuppa to look through all your new bits and pieces, or to wind up your grandfather clock, there’s a few options. Bakers ‘n’ Brew in the market vaults is an option – I’ve never actually seen it open but it gives the impression of being open sometimes, just not when I’m there, but you might be OK. Outside on the Newborough side Café Heart is really good with a funky vibe and great indoors/outdoors seating.

If you’re particularly peckish or about to attempt some sort of extreme swim to Germany and need to load up on carbs, head back up Newborough and try the Conservatory opposite Lloyds Bank. They serve a piece of caramel shortbread so big that most other places would call it a tray of caramel shortbread. In fact I did have a piece and now need to have a bit of a lie down, so over to you – best thing you purchased in the Market Vaults, other quirky shopping tips in the Scarborough area, heck, even Filey?

Kevern

http://www.ScarboroughWaves.co.uk

The Waves - Coastal Bed and Breakfast