Grant of £7m for shopping centre revamp agreed

1 day ago

Louise FewsterScarborough

Scarborough's Brunswick Shopping Centre has been closed since September 2025

BBC/Louise Fewster A multi-storey brick building with a large arched window and the centre's name displayed prominently on the façade. The image looks along a pedestrianised city-centre street lined with shops and commercial buildings, with people walking in the foreground and a small tree beside the walkway. Blue sky and large clouds are visible overhead. — Scarborough's Brunswick Shopping Centre has been closed since September 2025

Plans for a £7m funding package to help turn a former shopping centre in Scarborough into a leisure complex have been approved.

Scarborough Group International wants to create a six-screen cinema as well as food and drink outlets at Brunswick Shopping Centre, which closed last year.

The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has approved the grant, which is an addition to an agreement by North Yorkshire Council to loan the developers £8m. The scheme is also hoping for a further £3.5m from the government's Pride in Place scheme.

Business owners have welcomed the development, with cafe manager Chris Parrinder saying the town needed "just a bit of love" to bring it back to life.

Under the Combined Authority's approved proposals, an initial £1m grant will be released to support pre-construction work, including detailed design, demolition, and a new planning application.

A further £6m will be ringfenced for construction, subject to approval of a full business case at a later date.

Chris Parrinder hopes the revamp of the Brunswick Shopping Centre will bring more people into the town

BBC/Louise Fewster A man in the centre of the picture with a beard and moustache, wearing a baseball cap with glasses on top of the cap and a black T-shirt. He is stood in front of a menu board above his right shoulder and there are two shelves with glass bottles on the bottom shelf. — Chris Parrinder hopes the revamp of the Brunswick Shopping Centre will bring more people into the town

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: "This will tackle systemic issues that have prevented the town centre from reaching its full potential.

"The Brunswick has become an iconic eyesore, and I understand how important anchors are to attract people to the high street.

"I'm totally committed to making this a success not just for Scarborough, but for the whole county."

Once complete, the scheme is expected to create more than 400 permanent jobs, alongside 160 jobs during the construction phase.

Naomi Clayton, who worked at the shopping centre before it closed, said the development was "good news" for the local job market.

"There will be job opportunities out there for a lot of people that struggle with us being a seaside town," she said.

"So, I think having something there would be good."

Naomi Clayton said the regeneration of the Brunswick Shopping Centre will bring job opportunities to Scarborough

BBC/Louise Fewster Woman with red hair which is tied back, wearing black rimmed glasses, a black top and black fleece. She is stood in front of lots of shelves that are packed with toys. — Naomi Clayton said the regeneration of the Brunswick Shopping Centre will bring job opportunities to Scarborough

Parrinder, who runs Sitwell Nibbles, said he felt the town centre was "sometimes overlooked" and hoped the multi-million pound development would be "good for tourists and the local community".

"It just needs a bit of life, a bit of [an] upgrade and a bit of love," he said.

"I have been here over 30 years and I think having a proper cinema is something that has always been a bit lacking [and] a food court is good as it could be a main hub for Scarborough."

Scarborough has been designated a priority for development following the creation of Mayoral Development Zones, with the Brunswick Centre being promoted as one of its first major projects.

According to the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, the initiative could accelerate leisure and tourism developments and help unlock thousands of new homes.

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