Current Time in Scarborough, United Kingdom

Scarborough is a historic seaside resort town located on the North Sea coast of North Yorkshire, northern England. With a population of approximately 61,000 inhabitants, it is the largest holiday resort on the Yorkshire coast and one of the oldest seaside resorts in Britain, having established its reputation for health-giving sea-bathing and mineral spring waters in the early 17th century, making it one of the pioneering resorts in the history of the modern seaside holiday. The town's most distinctive physical feature is its dramatic division into two bays — the South Bay and the North Bay — separated by a rocky headland topped by the imposing ruins of Scarborough Castle.

Scarborough Castle, perched dramatically on the headland between the two bays, has been a place of strategic and defensive importance since the Iron Age. The present castle remains date primarily from the 12th century, when Henry II constructed a substantial stone keep and curtain walls. The castle played an important role in various medieval conflicts and later in the English Civil War. Managed by English Heritage, the castle grounds and ruins can be explored, and the headland offers spectacular views in all directions over the bays, the town, and the open sea. The prehistoric remains found on the headland indicate continuous human occupation of this prominent site for at least 2,500 years.

Scarborough claims to be the first English seaside resort, with the discovery of a mineral spring on the cliff south of the town around 1626 credited as the foundation of the resort's development. By the mid-17th century, the town had developed spa facilities and sea-bathing was becoming fashionable; by the 18th century, Scarborough was one of the most fashionable resorts in England, attracting the aristocracy and wealthy middle classes. This heritage is visible in the surviving Spa Complex on the South Cliff, now a concert and entertainment venue, and in the elegant Georgian and Victorian terraces and hotels that line the clifftops.

The Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough is one of the most important regional theatres in England. It was here that the prolific playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn, who has long been associated with Scarborough, premiered most of his many plays over a career spanning more than five decades, before they transferred to the West End and to theatres around the world. The theatre, housed in a former art deco cinema, is one of the few in England to have a theatre in the round as its main performance space. Ayckbourn's long association with Scarborough has made the town an important center of British theatrical life.

The fishing heritage of Scarborough is an important element of its character. The old harbour, still working, retains its character as a functional fishing port, and fresh fish and chips — particularly served with local crab, Whitby cod, and other North Sea species — remain among the most popular culinary attractions of any visit. The Rotunda Museum, a handsome purpose-built circular museum from 1829, houses important collections of local geology and archaeology.

Scarborough's dramatic coastal setting, historic castle, long resort tradition, theatrical reputation, working fishing harbour, and excellent beaches combining with the broader attractions of the North York Moors National Park and the Yorkshire Coast make it one of the most complete and characterful seaside destinations in Britain.