Praise for ‘outstanding success’ of Scarborough Open Air Theatre amid proposal for ‘Hollywood-style sign’

While Scarborough’s Open Air Theatre has been praised as a world-class entertainment venue, some councillors have suggested that the venue could still learn a trick or two from Hollywood.

Coun Eric Broadbent has proposed that a “large sign such as the famous Hollywood Sign” in Los Angeles could be erected outside the venue with “very large letters” reading ‘Scarborough’.

The councillor – who emphasised that the suggestion was serious and “not tongue in cheek” – said it would help “remind the people queuing where they are”.

Speaking at a meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee on Friday, November 29, officers said they would explore the suggestion and were “always happy to get more advertising”.

It comes as the Open Air Theatre broke its ticket sales record for a single season of concerts this year, attracting more than 116,600 attendees to 18 shows.

North Yorkshire Council said that the value of the Open Air Theatre to the local economy was “in excess” of £8.5m not including the cost of ticket sales or spending inside the venue.

However, some concerns were raised by Coun Tony Randerson who said: “I’d like to know why we’re seemingly getting short-changed at the Open Air Theatre with the number of shows that are being put on.

“Other venues run by Cuffe and Taylor seem to operate up to 30 shows per season whereas we are getting 18, so could you clarify why that is?”

Stuart Clark, the council’s head of venues and attractions, replied: “We probably shouldn’t make comparisons with other venues, because we take no risk financially when Live Nation books an act.”

He added that the venue was seeking to increase the number of shows every year.

Coun David Jeffels said that the OAT had been “an outstanding success story and is undoubtedly a vote of confidence in Scarborough itself with the large-scale acts we’ve had and the knock-on benefits to the economy and local businesses”.

He added: “What potential future aspirations would the council like to see at the OAT – there was once a plan for a roof that could be put over the main auditorium in the event of inclement weather and I just wonder if the officers have any views on that?”

Mr Clark, the head of venues, responded: “I don’t know about the roof, it’s an open-air theatre, would a roof take something away from it? It’s a very special venue and in the UK they say there’s no bad weather, there’s just bad clothes choices.”

After its closure in 1986, the now-defunct Scarborough Borough Council invested £3.5m in restoring the venue which was officially reopened by Her Majesty the Queen in 2010.