Charming Filey is increasingly winning over homeowners as well as holidaymakers

“Filey has a natural charm and isn’t as touristy or seasonal as areas like Scarborough, Bridlington or Whitby, which is a big draw for people moving here,” says Aimee Tooke, branch manager of Hunters estate agency in Filey. “Even in the quieter months there is still lots going on in the community, like the Filey Food Festival which takes place three times a year.

When the Victorian seaside boom kicked in, Filey quickly gained a reputation as one of the most genteel spots on the Yorkshire coast. Slot machines are largely confined to the Coble Landing, from where fishing boats still brave the North Sea.

Famous visitors included well-to-do Bradford-born composer Frederik Delius (1862-1934), who paddled here as a child, and the Battenberg branch of European royalty, who brought their buckets and spades to 36 The Crescent for a month in 1900.

Over the years the town’s “timelessness” has proved highly attractive, says Leeds-based novelist Susan Pape, who has owned a holiday flat in Royal Crescent Court since 2009, visiting at least once a month with her husband, Geoff, who worked in television before retirement.

“There are now huge caravan sites dotted around, but in terms of the town, it remains largely unchanged, a timeless former fishing village,“ says Susan, 72, (co-author with Sue Ferguson of A Falling Friend, A Forsaken Friend and A Forgiven Friend, Lakewater Press, available on Amazon). “We love it, we’re great walkers. We can get to Scarborough easily, we take the bus then walk back on the Cleveland Way. And we go to The Stephen Joseph Theatre. Or one of the Italian restaurants in Filey, San Marco or Bella Italia Ristorante – both brilliant – it’s so difficult to get in them, you have to make reservations a couple of weeks ahead.”

Now, according to East Yorkshire estate agent Chris Clubley, founder of Clubley’s, Filey is stepping smartly into the 21st century boom in coastal property. “The town has seen enormous growth in the market price-wise in the last three or four years since the pandemic,” he says. “It’s people wanting boltholes, families buying together. We’re seeing the town becoming a really popular spot for bucket and spaders and birdwatchers alike.”

With an overall selling price of £225,709 over the last year, according to Rightmove, Filey properties have undergone significant increase in value during this period. Overall, sold prices in Filey are up 13 per cent on the 2021 peak of £199,522, increasing four per cent between 2022 and 2023.

Rows of terraces, including bow-fronted 19th century properties divided into apartments – Hunters is marketing a renovated two-bedroom lower-ground floor flat with private parking on Rutland Street, £150,000 https://www.hunters.com/properties-for-sale/2-bedrooms-flat-in-rutland-street-filey-yo14/32893020/ - dominate the centre of Filey. Rightmove says that the average sales price of a Filey flat is currently £151,801.

Interestingly however, the majority of sales in Filey during the last year were detached properties, selling for an average price of £325,097. Many of these detached homes will be bungalows, says Aimee. “Around 60 per cent of buyers are downsizers and retirees, typically coming from West or South Yorkshire and looking for bungalows and apartments,” she explains. “The rest of the market is made up of holiday homes and holiday lets, as well as a small number of families, but these are in the minority.”

This demographic may be shifting slightly argues Gordon Muir, manager at Nicholson’s estate agency in Filey. He points to new development on Muston Road, where Scarborough-based Viola Homes is building 300 new houses and bungalows at Mill Meadows, from £204,995 for a three-bedroomed semi-detached house, https://www.violahomes.co.uk/developments/mill-meadows-filey/.

However, he adds that with few non-tourism related employment opportunities, the town (population 6,665 at the 2021 census) is not an obvious destination for young families relocating to the coast.

Although they dominate the local market, Susan says she does not notice the kind of antipathy towards second homeowners found in other Yorkshire coastal hotspots such as Whitby: “It feels very welcoming, perhaps because we’ve lived here for so long. We only ever shop in Filey, we’ve got independent butches, greengrocers. They know us in the cafes.”

As Filey comes under North Yorkshire Council, it’s subject to the doubling of council tax on second homes introduced in April this year. Aimee says this has slightly slowed down activity from potential second home/holiday let owners: “This is no bad thing as it means more conventional lettings can come to market, which helps to rebalance the market. Our lettings department grew significantly over the past 12 months.”

There is a challenge now for holiday let owners, believes Gordon: “We’ve got The Bay (hundreds of holiday homes built on the site of the former Butlins holiday camp at Primrose Valley), up the road. It’s saturated the market with cheap holiday accommodation, anyone who’s got a little cottage in the town is facing competition.”

However, as spring warms up, the day-trippers stopping to scour the estate agents’ windows for that special seaside bolthole are back.

What advice would Susan have for anyone considering buying in Filey?.“As soon you get on that road driving to the coast, you start to relax. If you’re thinking of taking the plunge and you want relaxation and you’ve always dreamt of being by the sea, do it,” she says. “Just bear in mind it’s a lovely thing to do but if it’s a second home, you’re going to get clobbered with the council tax.”

PIX: SUGGEST GOOD STOCK SHOT OF FILEY BAY!!

Clayhouse Yard, four-bedroomed end terrace house, between the Old Town and the beach, £275,000 https://www.hunters.com/properties-for-sale/4-bedrooms-end-of-terrace-house-in-clayhouse-yard-mitford-street-filey-yo14/32942046/

Rutland Street (mentioned in copy)

The Beach, one-bedroom second floor apartment, adjacent to The Promenade, offers over £135,000, Hunters https://www.hunters.com/properties-for-sale/1-bedroom-apartment-in-the-beach-filey-yo14/32983222/

The Cottage at Clifftop has three bedrooms and panoramic views over Filey Bay, £425,000 https://www.nicholsons.uk.com/property-for-sale/f7125

A five-bedroomed semi-detached family house on Scarborough Road, £375,000 https://www.nicholsons.uk.com/property-for-sale/f7122

Overlooking the beach near the Coble Landing, a pair of bungalows requiring renovation, £650,000 https://www.nicholsons.uk.com/property-for-sale/f7081

ENDS