Thursday, April 23, 2009

Scarborough: the most English town in England

By St George, resort clear winner for its Englishness LOOKING for somewhere traditionally English to spend St George's Day? Try the East Coast around Scarborough. The borough council, whose district includes Whitby and Filey, has more businesses and organisations with English characteristics per head of population than anywhere else in the country, according to a survey intended to promote St George's Day. Scarborough district has a cricket club, tea rooms, fish and chip shop, holiday camp or morris dancing troop for every 618 residents, claims the local information website, locallife.co.uk. (link via yorkshirepost.co.uk) I've seen a lot of England and we have visited the Yorkshire area many times (particularly York) but we haven't actually visited Scarborough. Now I think that we should plan a visit - it does indeed sound like a quintessentially English town. Do you live in Scarborough? Or have you visited the town? Do you agree that it is probably the most quintessentially English town in England? About Scarborough (via EnjoyEngland) Scarborough-Online Bradford most 'English' city, says St George's Day study The famously multicultural city of Bradford has emerged as one of the three most "English" places in England for patriots to spend St George's Day. The Yorkshire manufacturing, tourism and university centre comes second only to the coastal town of Scarborough and the Cornish district of Penwith for traditional English activities per head of population. Curries may win it more headlines, but Bradford has one of the country's highest ratios of fish and chip shops to people, and an astonishing number of cricket clubs and leagues. (link via guardian.co.uk) The top 10 in the survey, commissioned by the website locallife.co.uk, are: Scarborough Penwith Bradford York Blackpool Brighton and Hove Hastings Westminster Harrogate Tower Hamlets What do you think of the results of the survey? Do you agree with the list or are there other places in England that you think are more "English" and should be on the list?

4 comments:

  1. Hi Maureen, I've been to Scarborough many times. My mum comes from near there although lives in Derbyshire now so Scarborough, Whitby and Robin Hoods Bay is like my second home. I don't know if its the most English seaside town as I haven't viewed all the others but I would say that its a traditional English seaside town and is worth a visit. Bob

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  2. I've been to Scarborough but I wouldn't say that it was any more, or less, English than many other towns! I'm sure that accolade could be claimed by lots of places. xx

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  3. Hi Bob, Thanks for the information and your views about Scarborough. I have a feeling I would like it because it's a traditional seaside town.

    Flighty, thanks for your view too. I'm sure you're right - there are probably a lot of places similar to Scarborough in England.

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  4. Never been to Scarborough but this post makes me think about it! I used to live in Tower Hamlets (Bethnal Green). Not sure how to rate it as English or not, but there were lot's of Cor Blimey's being said, if that counts! Also BNP, yuck.

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