How first phase of Scarborough’s £20m Pride in Place money will be spent
Millions of pounds will be spent on seven projects in Scarborough as part of a Government scheme to support and speed up regeneration across the country.
The town will receive almost £20m of government funding as part of a decade-long national Pride in Place programme, which is designed to drive regeneration and unlock opportunities for people in towns across the country.
Seven projects have been selected to receive more than £6m of funding, with members of North Yorkshire Council’s executive committee set to vote on the proposal at a meeting on Tuesday, May 26.
The projects include supporting the redevelopment of the former Brunswick Centre into a cinema and leisure complex, improving accessibility at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and enhancing the town centre through the Sprucing Up Scarborough initiative.
In 2023, Rishi Sunak’s government announced that 55 towns, including Scarborough, would receive endowment-style funding of just under £20m over the next 10 years.
Following the 2024 general election, Sir Keir Starmer’s government announced it would retain the programme and renamed it Pride in Place.
The seven projects selected in Scarborough are:
♦ Sprucing up Scarborough: a co-ordinated programme of small-scale, highly visible public realm, shopfront and green space improvements to enhance the appearance, safety and experience of Scarborough town centre.
♦ Scarborough Fair: continuation and development of a year-round programme of cultural festivals and events that animate the town centre and neighbourhoods, increase participation, and support the visitor economy.
♦ Men’s Wellbeing Hub: creation of a dedicated town-centre wellbeing hub providing peer support, activities and early-intervention services for male carers and dads, helping to reduce isolation and improve mental health.
♦ Square One: contribution towards the redevelopment of the former Brunswick Shopping Centre into a leisure-led, mixed-use destination to revitalise the town centre and strengthen the evening economy.
♦ Stephen Joseph Theatre: capital contribution to improve environmental sustainability and accessibility at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, safeguarding a key cultural asset and supporting its transition towards net-zero operation.
♦ Community Grant Fund: establishment of a small grants programme enabling community groups and voluntary organisations to deliver locally-led projects aligned with Pride in Place priorities.
♦ Turning Tides youth support programme: delivery of targeted, one-to-one wellbeing and resilience support for young people, providing early intervention and helping improve mental health, confidence and life outcomes.
According to a council report, the funding award allocated to Square One is conditional on “further due diligence, including the submission of an updated business case with financial appraisal, and confirmation of match funding and delivery arrangements – no funds will be released for this project until these conditions are satisfied.”
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, said: “This presents a significant opportunity to deliver long-term regeneration in Scarborough and make a lasting difference for local communities.
“It is vital that the local projects chosen to receive the funding are the right ones, that can bring wide-ranging benefits for those who live and work in the town.
"The money needs to act as a catalyst for further sustainable investment in Scarborough.”
He said the council was delighted with the feedback it received during the consultation phase – almost 1,300 responses were submitted – and the Scarborough Neighbourhood Board used it to put forward seven local projects that reflect the community’s priorities
“These will be carefully considered by members of the executive when we meet next week,” Cllr Crane added.
The council noted that due to the nature of the funding released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG), there is “insufficient allocation” in the first two years of the programme to enable all of the approved projects to progress into delivery.
To ensure “momentum is maintained”, councillors will also be asked to allocate £3.2mi from the authority’s reserves to support delivery in the first two years of the programme.
This money will be reimbursed when the Government’s funding is released.
Alison Hume, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, said: “Pride in Place is the Government’s flagship communities programme because it puts local people front and centre.
“Scarborough belongs to the people who live here, and Scarborians know better than anyone what will make it thrive.
"That’s why this Labour Government was clear that building even more pride in Scarborough should start with them.”
She added: “These exciting, transformational projects will lift our spirits, and no matter who runs North Yorkshire Council, these priorities will not change because NYC are not making the decisions.
“This is about the Government showing its trust in local people, backing their ambition, and giving Scarborough the power to shape its own future.”
The total amount of funding provided through the Pride in Place over the next ten years is £19.5m.
The funding is endowment-style and will be received annually over the next ten years based on the submission of three individual investment plans.
There is currently £245,818 of capital funding unallocated and the Scarborough Neighbourhood Board can choose to allocate it in the future, within the current investment period.
The chair of the Scarborough Neighbourhood Board, Heath Samples, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the work that the board has undertaken alongside the local community to reach this stage.
“From the outset, our focus has been on listening to residents and identifying projects that can deliver visible, lasting improvements for Scarborough – supporting regeneration, wellbeing, opportunity and community pride.
“During the process, the board agreed that public feedback should carry the most weight when projects were being prioritised.
"We wanted residents to know their voices genuinely mattered, and the final shortlist strongly reflects the priorities the community told us were most important.”