Futurist closes

I was sad to see the Futurist Theatre close, despite a prolonged, valiant but ultimately doomed campaign to compel Scarborough Council to keep it. I have more memories than I can summon just now of great nights down there. Highlights ranged from the sumptuous touring Russian ballets to the fantastically silly Bottom shows and Ken Dodd’s annual five-hour marathons, often finishing about 1am. For many years when I worked at the Trader then the Evening News, I blagged tickets for as many shows and films as I wanted to see, and often for friends too. Once, when Cass Johnson was about eight and still called Cass Johnson, she got me to get her about eight tickets for a show, from Ian Carpendale, the second manager I knew after Andy whose surname I forget. When the first Bottom tour came, I blagged about 10 tickets on the front row for me and the gang off Ian. After Apollo quit, Barrie and Brenda Stead took over (with lovely Andrew Nesbit as manager) but were increasingly hamstrung by the local authority. Such a shame to see the place neglected then closed. On the final night on Sunday, about 40 people turned up to see the second Hobbit film. It had been preceded by a matinee of Frozen, which many would say was pretty apt for the Futurist in winter, when cold winds can blow straight off the sea, under the doors and into the theatre. We took blankets and thermal mugs last night. It was amusing to watch trailers for films that would never be shown. The place is being boarded up today.