East Yorkshire/Scarborough & District 619 (WBN 959L) – 7 Sep 1996 (327-13)

Saturday 7 September 1996 (approx. 1500) – East Yorkshire Motor Services/Scarborough and District 619 (WBN 959L) seen outside the Futurist Theatre on Foreshore Road, Scarborough. It is a Park Royal bodied Leyland Atlantean AN68/1R new to the SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) as a normal covered top bus in October 1972. (Bus 7081).

My late father and my young niece are standing on the pavement in the photograph.

The Futurist Theatre, a theatre/cinema opened in June 1921, was a popular resident and tourist entertainment venue in Scarborough. It was demolished during 2018.

In its heyday it was host to many seasonal variety shows and well-known entertainers. The Beatles performed there twice (1963/1964), the then famous Black & White Minstrels performed there many times (1960s/1970s) plus countless popular comedians, singers and actors. (My Dad booked tickets for the Frankie Vaughan Show one season but Frankie’s father died at the time so Frankie was hurriedly substituted in the show although I do not know by whom).

The well-known Scarborough coachbuilders Plaxtons has a link with the Futurist. In addition to coachbuilding Plaxtons also had a shop-fitting and joinery division and when the stage area was expanded in the late 1950s the company carried out the work.