Scarborough holds a unique place in British history and continues to attract tourists to its sandy beaches, arcades, spas, and famous fish and chip shops.
A Glimpse at the Past (Skip if history bores you, we won’t judge)
Founded as Skarðaborg by Viking raiders in 966 AD, Scarborough’s history goes way back, with Britain’s oldest ‘house,’ dated to 8500 BC. Even today, you can find dinosaur fossils in the ever-retreating cliffs.
Scarborough Castle played a role in the English Civil War, as a royalist stronghold, the medieval fortress stood its ground for months before parliamentarian forces took it. Unfortunately, heavy bombardment from cannon fire and subsequent bombing in WW1 have destroyed large parts of the castle, but it’s still an impressive structure and well worth a visit.
Post civil war (late 1600s), ‘spa water’ was discovered in Scarborough. Georgians and Victorians had a strange obsession with spa water, which, from what I can tell, was anything bubbling from the ground with an acidic smell and mineral taste.
Scarborough’s rebranding as a spa town led to the first english seaside resort, with the Grand Hotel–what was then the largest in Europe with 365 rooms and 52 chimneys–arriving in the 1800s alongside the iconic tramways on the cliff and a railway connection to York bringing thousands every summer.
Scarboroughs Arcades
After its bombing in WW1, many of the buildings on the beachfront were damaged, and some got re-purposed as old school arcades, with penny machines, shows and more. Now there are about 8 different arcades or amusements dotted along the seafront and more on the high street.
Amusements all have different games, from claw machines to bowling, dodgems, pool, the famous 2p machines and every other flashing machine you’ve ever seen in a modern arcade.
Olympia Leisure Scarborough
This is one of the biggest amusements around–according to their website, it’s the biggest arcade in Yorkshire. On the first floor, there are literally hundreds of different arcade machines, including slot machines, 2p machines, basketball, shooting, wack-a-mole, and more. There are plenty of machines around that give you change in whatever form you need it, and you can use a card on some of them. The Olympia leisure bowling is pretty good, with plenty of lanes, a bar and Karaoke.
Coney Island Amusements
I’m not sure who decided to name this one after the New York attraction, plus I’ve only been to good old Yorkshire, so I don’t know how they stack up. Regardless, Coney Island has loads of 2p machines and games.
My favourite Arcade Games Scarborough
First and foremost is the 2p machine or ‘coin pusher’ pictured above and below. After changing a few pound coins for a hundred 2ps you shart dropping coins into the slot which runs down onto a moving platform that pushes coins into the tray below. The metallic clink of coins falling into the metal tray is incredibly satisfying until you realise that about half the coins that fall disappear into the abyss on either side of the machine…I guess the house always wins.
Regardless, you can have hours of fun pushing coins into the machine, and if you are very lucky (usually on a busy day when the coins are ‘reset’ less often), a toy or crisp £10 note will fall into the tray. On our last visit, my partner was “super close” to winning one of these toys for about an hour, but we had to call it quits and accept defeat… And save some cash for the rest of our trip.
It is 100% gambling, but it’s perfectly normal for kids to play. I spent hours in arcades as a child, wasting my parents’ loose change when these machines could be found on every pier and even in Chinatown in London.
I’ve never seen these machines in Australia, which is strange as they are basically the gateway drug to proper pokies, so be sure to give them a go while you are visiting.
Nearby Attractions
If you take a stroll along Scarborough beach, past the arcades, all the way to the rocks at the end, furthest from town, you will come across the Scarborough spa, a grand old building with a concert hall, promenade and garden. At the other end of the beach is the castle, which is well worth a visit.
The old town market has some great fresh fish and local veggies. If you’re after some unique knick-knacks, check out the ‘vaults’ (little shops) in the basement of the market.
For Aussie visitors, I would highly recommend a visit to nearby Whitby to see Captain Cook’s house and a replica of his ship, the Endeavour. Or why not go fossil hunting at Cayton Bay and take home a souvenir (I won’t tell biosecurity if you don’t), or check out the seal colony at Flamborough Heads.
Best Time to Visit
My most recent trip to Scarborough was mid-winter, which I would highly recommend. I know it sounds strange for a beach resort town, but snow on the beach and a quiet town centre make for a peaceful getaway. Some of the arcades are closed over winter, but the larger ones like Olympia Leisure and Coney Island are open, plus about half the chip shops, which is plenty considering there are hundreds. On that note, be sure to try Cod and Scampi.
Visiting in summer means more attractions are open, plus the beach, although if I were to go for an actual beach holiday, Scarbados would not be the place. It is a beautiful beach, but Bondi is a half-hour train ride away and at least 10 degrees warmer all year round.
Scarborough’s Charm
This place is well worth a visit and should be on anyone’s itinerary who is visiting the North. Luckily, it’s less than an hour on the picturesque TransPennine Express train from York or a few hours from Manchester.
Now that you can get cheap flights from London to places like Spain, Italy or Greece, Scarborough is not the bustling beach destination it once was. However, it still holds a special place in British culture and continues to charm. Scarborough’s amusement arcades are only one of the unique attractions it has to offer.
