Resort given a winter lift as thousands visit arts festival

A host of different shows, events, attractions and activities all drew in the crowds for Coastival’s Rather Splendid Day Out on Saturday, with theatre, comedy and a marathon acoustic music event also taking place.

The majority of events centred around the Scarborough Spa complex which has recently undergone a multi-million pound revamp, but events were also hosted at a wide range of venues including Scarborough Library and Information Centre, Hull University Scarborough Campus and galleries.

Among the highlights was the award-winning theatre company Slung Low’s presentation of Darkness at the Sun Court, the first of five pieces to be performed at arts festivals across North Yorkshire.

It is now the third year of the festival which is designed to draw in crowds to Scarborough during the traditionally quiet winter months.

Last year, nearly 20,000 revellers flocked to the Scarborough Coastival festival – which its organisers claim is 120 per cent more than the first Coastival in 2009 and pumped £361,584 into the seaside town’s economy.