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Rosie Goodwin
Family Arts Correspondent
7:07 AM 12th August 2019
family

Scarborough Rises High With Summer Ferris Wheel

 
Photo by Rosie Goodwin
Photo by Rosie Goodwin
There’s a distinct possibility that I may be a little biased, born and bred as I was in Yorkshire (God’s own county, of course), but I’m fairly confident that I’ve just experienced the finest view in the country, if not quite the world.

Photo by Michael Wallis
Photo by Michael Wallis
It was the discovery of the ‘waters’ in Scarborough’s South Bay, in the early seventeenth-century, that led to the town’s emergence as the nation’s first tourist resort; but I’ve always suspected that, had Scarborough not possessed those limestone cliffs to provide unparalleled panoramas across the North Sea, the wealthy elite would have been rather less inclined to make the trip ‘up North’ for their Spa Mini Breaks in centuries’ past.

Scarborough, to this day the largest holiday resort on the Yorkshire coast, now has a new attraction vying for attention. Standing proud at 32 metres high (over 100 feet, in old money), the spectacular observation wheel was installed on the site of the former Futurist Theatre and has already been delighting holiday makers.

There’s something quintessentially English about a Ferris wheel, evoking the charm and nostalgia of the fairground, but with a great deal more elegance. Rising high in the air, surrounded by Scarborough landmarks – the impressive Grand Hotel, built famously in the shape of a V for Victoria; or the ruins of a castle steeped in more history than it knows what to do with – this new, temporary Scarborough attraction already looks at home.

Director Michael Wallis confirmed that the wheel will be in situ until the end of the month, with the possibility of staying until October.

I’m a big believer in changing the view from time to time. Those of us who love Scarborough, who live or work in this unique and striking seaside town, who see it out of season as well as during peak visitor time, know that it’s a destination with many faces. Sometimes, when you’re close to a place, it’s easy to see it in a set way, to forget about the mix of complex stories that forms it. Today an array of family attractions, including the popular Alpamare and Peasholm Park, enrich the experiences of visitors and locals alike, showcasing the way the town has determinedly seized opportunities, reinventing, repackaging, refreshing and sometimes injecting wholly new prospects into the mix.

The Observation Wheel offers yet a different perspective on the town. With each escalating degree, the world below and around moves, the light shifts, the colours alter. Like the hands on a clock, each rotation reminds us that things are moving on.

Soon, the wheel will be gone and something else will take its place. I’m very glad I got the opportunity to experience it with my family whilst it’s here.

The Observation Wheel is currently on Scarborough sea front and anyone with a Yorkshire postcode receives a 10% reduction on the ticket price.