Did you know during the mid 1970s, there was an ambitious proposal to build a new theatre-in-the-round close to where Beeforth’s Hive on Scarborough’s South Cliff is today?

This little-known story will be revealed at the recently opened community centre, Beeforth’s Hive, on Tuesday 14 March when the playwright Alan Ayckbourn’s Archivist, Simon Murgatroyd, is giving a talk on the proposed Esplanade Theatre.

Simon will be speaking about the never-realised proposal to find a new home for Scarborough’s theatre-in-the-round company at what is now Dulverton Hall as well as abandoned plans for a theatre in The Crescent.

He’ll also be revealing how the Esplanade proposal coincided with a cultural conflict in the town which made national headlines and saw the playwright Alan Ayckbourn threaten to leave the town due to a perceived conflict of interests in the town council.

You can find out all about this extraordinary piece of Scarborough’s cultural history on Tuesday 14 March at 2pm at Beeforth’s Hive. Admission is free but places are limited and can be booked on eventbrite by clicking here.

Simon Murgatroyd has been Alan Ayckbourn’s Archivist for 20 years and is regarded as a world expert on the playwright, his plays and theatre-in-the-round in Scarborough. This is his first talk for Beeforth’s Hive and he hopes, if successful, it will lead to more talks in the future at the venue in the South Cliff gardens.