Mayor's tribute to ex-Scarborough town crier Alan Booth: 'We have lost one of our borough's greatest treasures'

Speaking on behalf of officers and elected members at Scarborough Borough Council, Cllr Hazel Lynskey, Mayor of the Borough of Scarborough, said: “We are all deeply saddened to hear of Alan’s death and we send our sincere condolences to his family and friends.

“He was one of the world’s true gentlemen and as a constant ambassador for Scarborough and the wider borough, he thoroughly deserved the honour of Freedom of the Borough bestowed on him in 1999.

“Alan was loved by all who met him, especially during his 31 years as Scarborough’s town crier, a role he carried out tirelessly, in all weathers, with pride, professionalism, meticulous attention to detail and gentle humour.

“We have lost one of our borough’s greatest treasures and we will miss him terribly.”

IN PICTURES: Our tribute to former town crier Alan Booth, a true gentleman and great ambassador for Scarborough

Mr Booth, who was an MBE, was national town crier champion in 1988, 1989 and 1994 and European champion from 1990 to 1992, and did much to spread the name of Scarborough around the country and around the world.

On its Facebook page, Scarborough Hospitality Association also paid tribute: "Alan was the Town Crier of Scarborough for 31 years, a staunch supporter of The SHA and a very active member of our marketing team for many years.

"He was a gentle man who loved Scarborough and was a worldwide asset to our town.

"Our sympathies go out to his friends and family. He will be missed."

See next week's issue of The Scarborough News for a full tribute to Alan.