The Futurist: why are we waiting?

A leading Scarborough business group has called for the council to finally put the ailing Futurist theatre out of its misery.

The South Bay Traders’ Association chairman John Senior says the building has become a “carbuncle” on the seafront and said the authority needs to “bite the bullet” on plans for demolition.

The fate of the building was set to be discussed at a forthcoming cabinet meeting on Tuesday October 18.

A long-awaited report into how the building can be safely demolished without damaging the cliff behind was due to be presented but the council

has not yet confirmed that it will be going to that meeting, pushing any decision further back.

Mr Senior believes the saga has now dragged on for far too long – Flamingo Land’s plan to build a seaside attraction on the site was announced almost two years ago.

He said: “From the association’s point of view it has been going on far too long.

“People have lost their tolerance for hearing that a plan is coming forward and it is going to be redeveloped and are now just complaining about this carbuncle on the face of Scarborough.

“The grace period is over and the Futurist is owned by the council and so it is up to them to bite the bullet and do something about it.

“We hear they are waiting for the stabilisation report but if they are able to demolish it then they need to get on with it, if not then something else will need to happen fast. It cannot stay the way it is.”

The Scarborough News understands that the tenants of the shops that make up part of the Futurist building have received letters from the council telling them they need to be out of the units by the end of October.

This week the Theatre’s Trust moved the Futurist up to number 10 in its list of most at risk historic buildings.

Alongside campaigners it produced a video highlighting the theatre’ s heritage in a bid to persuade the council not to demolish the building.

Co media nD a ra O’ Briainh as len this voice to the plight of theatres across the country.

He said: “As a touring standup comedian I have travelled up and down this country and

The Futurist Theatre building in Scarborough ... closed by the borough council and has become a new eyesore on the seafront

Main image (and inset below): Flamingo Land artist’s impression of their proposed new attraction in Scarborough on the site of the abandoned Futurist Theatre building.