Scarborough Spa and Whitby Pavilion could be run by Council from next year

Scarborough Borough Council could look to run Scarborough Spa and Whitby Pavilion from next year.

It's as who will be the future operator of the venues is to be debated by cabinet members later this month.

The council will discuss its contract with Sheffield International Venues, who has run both sites on behalf of the authority since 2012.

Janet Jefferson, Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources, said:

"Our finance team and directors have been in contact with the trust.

"We've had a very good relationship with them and hopefully we will take over the running of the Spa and Pavilion from 1st January 2021.

"Obviously we've got to look at the financial side of it because January to March will be quite a dormant period.

"But the future is to run the venues and bring as many as the activities as we possibly can within the Covid regulations.

"Whitby Pavilion has an awful lot of community connections there so we're desperate to get that open.

"We're looking forward to it. I think it's very exciting. I was upset when we did contract the Spa out because I think it's a wonderful place.

"It has an awful lot of aspects, not least it can be an all day venue which I think the town will need going forward with Covid."

Before 2012, it has run by Scarborough Borough Council and Janet explains why it was decided that an external company should run the venues instead:

"The financial aspect has all got to be considered but way back then it was a corporate decision by the then administration due to the costings of running it.

"Things can change and things can operate in a different way."