The name Scarborough Dine and Dance (SDD) was the new name adopted by The North Side Residents Association (NSRA) at its AGM on 7th January 2015.
The North Side Residents Association was formed on 12th November 1953 mainly by a group of Hoteliers from the North Side of Scarborough.
'the object being to foster friendship amongst the people of the North Side and and welcome those into its midst who may be lonely or strangers to the district by organising social activity such as whist drives, dances, concerts, matters of town interest or anything which might be of moral and mutual benefit for all concerned'
Having no home base, the Association members used their own properties to provide the venues for committee meetings and functions; as they were Hoteliers there were always rooms available somewhere to hold the whist / beetle drives, jumble sales, buffet dances etc. Despite this, in 1955, it was recognised by some that there was a need for a more permanent home.
Over the following years the Association grew steadily and became more adventurous in its offerings to its members with day trips being arranged to many commercial and theatrical venues all over the North of England. Cookery lectures, treasure hunts and dancing classes were organised and an amateur theatrical group was started. Their charitable works included free annual Xmas parties for children and regular fund raising events for local charities. The annual dinner dance was often attended by the town mayor or deputy.
By 1965 there were 100 regular members, by 1967 there were 134. This increasing membership was starting to put pressure on some of the venues used for the main functions and this resulted in a series of complaints following one event when it became quite apparent that the room was not big enough. As a result, discussions were held with the local council about the possible use of The Corner (Cafe) on the North Side at Peasholm, and this resulted in the first Association function being held there in 1977. This was so successful and popular that more and more functions were held there over the next few years; by 1981 the membership had grown to 381 and the dinner dances were one of the most popular regular events on the calendar. The only problem was that the venue could not be made available during the three busiest months of the Summer season and this set the pattern for the current nine month dinner dance calendar.
During the next 29 years the event at The Corner was the cornerstone of the association. Members came and went, the number of other events dropped off as attitudes to entertainment changed, but the dinner dances at The Corner went on. That was until 2006 when a letter from the Council advised that The Corner was going to be demolished to make way for a new development. So it was that in April 2006 the last dinner dance was held there; fortunately, the Council were able to offer the Ocean Room at the Spa as a possible alternative and this was seized upon by the Committee. The one drawback to the Spa was its location and as to whether it was the fact that it was on the South Side and not so easily accessible or that it created a break in the continuity of events at The Corner.
Over recent years membership numbers started to fall away. By 2014 there were only 170 members and dance attendances had dropped to an average of 100, with a minimum of 90 being needed to break even. Something had to be done.
The 2014 Committee agreed that a major effort was required to boost membership and decisions were taken. No longer would the Association be allowed to appear as a North Side only private club, it would be opened up to all, either as members or non members. In fact it was already welcoming dancers from York, Teesside, Kirkbymoorside and Bridlington, mainly by word of mouth. The name of the Association was changed to Scarborough Dine and Dance to make it more obvious where we are and what we do. Better advertising of the events would take place through radio, local newspapers and flyers and a web site would be created. www.scarboroughdineanddance.co.uk
The North Side Residents Association was formed on 12th November 1953 mainly by a group of Hoteliers from the North Side of Scarborough.
'the object being to foster friendship amongst the people of the North Side and and welcome those into its midst who may be lonely or strangers to the district by organising social activity such as whist drives, dances, concerts, matters of town interest or anything which might be of moral and mutual benefit for all concerned'
Having no home base, the Association members used their own properties to provide the venues for committee meetings and functions; as they were Hoteliers there were always rooms available somewhere to hold the whist / beetle drives, jumble sales, buffet dances etc. Despite this, in 1955, it was recognised by some that there was a need for a more permanent home.
Over the following years the Association grew steadily and became more adventurous in its offerings to its members with day trips being arranged to many commercial and theatrical venues all over the North of England. Cookery lectures, treasure hunts and dancing classes were organised and an amateur theatrical group was started. Their charitable works included free annual Xmas parties for children and regular fund raising events for local charities. The annual dinner dance was often attended by the town mayor or deputy.
By 1965 there were 100 regular members, by 1967 there were 134. This increasing membership was starting to put pressure on some of the venues used for the main functions and this resulted in a series of complaints following one event when it became quite apparent that the room was not big enough. As a result, discussions were held with the local council about the possible use of The Corner (Cafe) on the North Side at Peasholm, and this resulted in the first Association function being held there in 1977. This was so successful and popular that more and more functions were held there over the next few years; by 1981 the membership had grown to 381 and the dinner dances were one of the most popular regular events on the calendar. The only problem was that the venue could not be made available during the three busiest months of the Summer season and this set the pattern for the current nine month dinner dance calendar.
During the next 29 years the event at The Corner was the cornerstone of the association. Members came and went, the number of other events dropped off as attitudes to entertainment changed, but the dinner dances at The Corner went on. That was until 2006 when a letter from the Council advised that The Corner was going to be demolished to make way for a new development. So it was that in April 2006 the last dinner dance was held there; fortunately, the Council were able to offer the Ocean Room at the Spa as a possible alternative and this was seized upon by the Committee. The one drawback to the Spa was its location and as to whether it was the fact that it was on the South Side and not so easily accessible or that it created a break in the continuity of events at The Corner.
Over recent years membership numbers started to fall away. By 2014 there were only 170 members and dance attendances had dropped to an average of 100, with a minimum of 90 being needed to break even. Something had to be done.
The 2014 Committee agreed that a major effort was required to boost membership and decisions were taken. No longer would the Association be allowed to appear as a North Side only private club, it would be opened up to all, either as members or non members. In fact it was already welcoming dancers from York, Teesside, Kirkbymoorside and Bridlington, mainly by word of mouth. The name of the Association was changed to Scarborough Dine and Dance to make it more obvious where we are and what we do. Better advertising of the events would take place through radio, local newspapers and flyers and a web site would be created. www.scarboroughdineanddance.co.uk
