FAREWELL FUTURIST
The end is nigh for the once glorious Futurist theatre.
Over the years, the grand old lady of Scarborough’s South Bay played host to the top names from throughout the decades.
The Beatles, The Who, Sir Ken Dodd, Victoria Wood and the Rolling Stones were just a few to pack out the 2,000 capacity venue.
Following the decision not to call in the planning decision to demolish the theatre there will soon be nothing to show for its close to a century on the sea front.
Barry Stead was involved with the Futurist for decades, first as a producer and then as operator.
He told The Scarborough News yesterday: “When we were running shows it would be a 52-week operation.
“Even in the winter we packed house.
“The Foreshore now is deserted on an evening but then it was lined with cars, the cafes would open up.
“There would be queues around the block and it brought money into Scarborough.
“We had all the big names, Gary Barlow, the Shadows, Elaine Paige, Ken Dodd and the Chuckle Brothers.
“In the end it was the lack of investment that killed it.
“It could not continue running with the poor heating, leaking roof and the electrics had seen better days.
“With the proper investment it would still be running now and providing a yearround attraction for Scarborough.”
We have gone through The Scarborough News archive to collate the list of stars who graced the stage, including Michael Ball who vowed not to return because of the state of the backstage area for performers.
Email your memories and pictures from the Futurist to newsdesk@jpress.co.uk