Author: Emma Ryan

Tourist tax plan for holiday-makers to Whitby

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

There could be a ‘tourist tax’ imposed on holiday-makers visiting Whitby and the surrounding area under new legislation, which the region’s leaders believe could raise £26m.

A £1 a night visitor levy in York and North Yorkshire has been proposed in a new lab report commissioned by David Skaith, the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

The report has looked at the region’s visitor economy, as well as the risks, challenges and opportunities of a visitor levy – which it says will be reinvested back into York and North Yorkshire’s hospitality and tourism industry, while making improvements to infrastructure both tourists and residents rely on.

The Visitor Levy Policy Report also sets out different models, including flat and percentage rates, and makes a series of recommendations for the region.

The Mayor’s office says it has found levies do not deter visitors to destinations which already have a high appeal. Visitor numbers and growth in destinations such as Edinburgh, Manchester, Paris and Barcelona remain steady following implementation of similar schemes, it added.

Potential exemptions for low-cost stays in a bid to reduce the burden on small operators and campsites have been recognised by the report, which suggests the time-scale for a levy being effective is 2027-28.

Mr Skaith said: “York and North Yorkshire has something for everyone. Millions visit every year, and that’s why a visitor levy could be a total game changer for us.

“Thriving communities and thriving destinations go hand in hand, but welcoming so many visitors puts pressure on the infrastructure and services our residents rely on.

“We must get this right for our county so we can invest in our communities, and our hospitality and tourism businesses. That’s why I’m committed to keep talking with the sector as the details come together.”

The report comes as results of the national consultation into visitor levies are expected in the coming weeks. Combined Authorities are set to receive powers to implement them later this year under the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

However, in order for the levy to be effective, it needs to be invested back into the places it was generated.

Prof Brendan Paddison, is the Dean of York Business School at York St John University, Professor of Tourism Geographies and the academic lead for the Policy Lab. He says a levy in the area is viable, but needs attention to detail.

He said: “Good policy starts with good evidence. This report is not about making the case for or against a visitor levy, it is about giving the Mayor, businesses and communities the evidence they need to have an informed conversation about what could work for York and North Yorkshire.

“Our findings suggest that a visitor levy is a viable option worth exploring further, but the detail matters.

“Any future levy would need to be simple and proportionate, underpinned by transparent governance and meaningful engagement with businesses and communities.

“Crucially, there must also be a clear commitment that any revenue raised is invested back into the places and visitor economy that generate it, with benefits that are visible to businesses, visitors and communities across York and North Yorkshire.”

Staithes Festival of Heritage & Arts returns

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

For well over a hundred years, at least, artists have been drawn to the small, isolated fishing village of Staithes – once one of the largest fishing ports in the region – to find inspiration in its old world charm.

The Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage continues that to this day.

Next weekend, from Friday September 11 to Sunday September 13, the village becomes a community of culture and the coast again.

Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage returns for 2026. Picture Ceri Oakes.

Those doors of the cottages, beset by winding cobbles and orange rooftops in hidden alleyways and yards, are thrown open to the public and turned into a trail of pop-up art galleries showcasing painting, print, ceramics, textiles, sculpture, photography and more.

There is also a packed programme of heritage talks, paying tribute to the social and industrial history of generations of families who lived here, traditions, skills and crafts.

A peek inside these cottages is also a peek into the sometimes perilous lives of local fisherfolk.

No mention of Staithes and art in the same sentence would be complete without reference to The Staithes Group of Artists, a group of British Impressionists who painted in Whitby and along the Yorkshire coast from 1894 to 1909.

And so it is fitting that this year Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage will shine a spotlight on emerging artists by inviting students from Middlesbrough’s The Northern School of Art to exhibit for the first time here.

Kit Hemsley at last year’s Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage. Picture: Ceri Oakes

Around 15 first and second-year students across a range of creative A Levels and UAL Diplomas will exhibit their work at Gulls Haven in the village.

Becky Tempest, event co-ordinator for Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage, said: “As Staithes has long been a magnet for artists and a favourite location for those honing their creative skills, it made sense to welcome The Northern School of Art, which is so influential in supporting and nurturing local creative talent.

“The festival blends a perfect mix of heritage, creativity and the sense of community that remains so strong within the village. We’re looking forward to welcoming back previous artists as well as championing new exhibitors, developing the music and heritage programme and introducing new elements to the light show as well.”

Carolyn Coles, Penny Phillips and Donna Taylor. Picture: Ceri Oakes.

There is a preview evening on Friday, 6pm to 9.30pm, where some, but not all, of the galleries, cottages and exhibition spaces around Staithes will be open for an evening of art, music and atmosphere.

A packed programme has been prepared for Saturday and Sunday with some of the highlights being an artist trail across the village on both days taking in 67 venues and 113 artists; Rod Jewell’s Staithes Experience: Heritage Exhibition on Saturday and Sunday, 10am–5pm at Granary Yard Garage Studio for a continuous and rare silent film on the arrival of the motorised Staithes lifeboat in 1924 and slides featuring bygone Staithes in the 1890s; Bill Hinchley’s Guided History Walk on Saturday and Sunday, 11am–1pm from the Bank Top viewpoint, Staithes Lane; and treasure valuations by Caroline Hawley from Bargain Hunt at Poplar House on the High Street.

Staithes Festival of Heritage & Arts has been going since 2012 and since 2014 has donated £35,790 to organisations and community projects.

Men of Staithes Choir at the Staithes RNLI Lifeboat Station. Picture: Ceri Oakes.

Budding actors and singers needed to star in Danby Christmas show

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

Danby Players is holding an open call tomorrow to recruit people to take part in what will be its second take on a Broadway musical.

Singers, actors, musicians, front and back stage staff are needed for White Christmas – The Musical, which will be staged the week before Christmas, by the Danby Players following the success of Annie Get Your Gun earlier this year.

An open meeting where people can find out more is tomorrow (Sunday) at Danby Village Hall at 3pm.

David Tindale, musical director at Danby Players. Picture: Ceri Oakes

Danby resident and Musical Director, David Tindale said: “We know there is plenty of talent out there in the Whitby and Esk Valley areas because of the tremendous response we had to our last show which sold out all nights and made stars of some local heroes.

“We try and make a really good show and if folks have acted or sung in the past, or just have that itch to perform, they can come along on Sunday and we’ll tell them all about it.”

The story of Whitby’s whale bones through the years

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

One of the most famous and photographed views in the country changed this week when Whitby’s whale bones were removed.

In situ since 2003, they have succumbed to the elements of the harsh weather which batters this corner of Yorkshire’s coastline and are set to be replaced by bronze replicas, costing £70,000, early next year.

These whale bones were actually a replacement for a previous whale bone arch, raised in March 1964, and are one of around 90 whale bone arches in Britain, according to Whitby Museum.

Others have also been replaced with a whale-bone-free alternative, as, since the outlaw of commercial whaling in most countries from 1986, replacements are difficult to source.

A Sutcliffe image of a whale shed discovered near The Viaduct in 1930. Picture: Whitby Museum

As the current whalebones were driven away from the West Cliff on Tuesday morning to be handed over to the University of York for research, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for open to business, Coun Mark Crane said: “The whale bone arch is one of Whitby’s most treasured landmarks and an important part of the town’s maritime heritage.

“The removal of the arch is a landmark day in the town’s recent history, as visitors have flocked to see and photograph the bones for over two decades.

One of the most famous and photographed views in the world has been changed after Whitby’s whalebones were removed. Picture: Submitted

“Importantly, the bronze replicas provide an ethical alternative to the use of whale bones, allowing this iconic landmark and its connection to Whitby’s maritime heritage to be preserved in a way that reflects modern conservation values.”

While attitudes have changed, Whitby’s association with the whaling industry is a significant part of its history.

Between 1766 and 1837, ships left Whitby each year to travel into the Northern Fishery, and the waters of the Greenland Sea, the Davis Strait and Baffin Bay. Whitby Museum records show that between 1766 and 1816, 2,761 whales, 25,000 seals, 43 narwhals, 64 walruses and 55 polar bears were brought to Whitby by whalers.

A Whitby whaleshed. Picture: Whitby Museum

When the ships returned, the blubber was rendered into profitable whale oil and whale bones and baleen were sold for use in corsets and parasols, the Whitby Museum article states.

 In Whitby’s most successful year for whaling, 1814, 172 whales were caught by eight ships and boiled into 1,381 tons of whale oil, the average price of which was £32 per ton creating a profit in the region of £44000, equivalent to about £3,120,000 today.

The Whitby whaling industry ended in 1837 when Whitby’s last whaler, Campden, returned empty.

Long after this though, whale bone arches, and not just the famous one on the West Cliff, could be seen in various locations around Whitby.

Several arches stood in fields near Whitby Abbey, there were three at Airy Hill, an arch in Ruswarp stood until the 1920s, and an arch in Sleights, used as the structure for a shed, was removed in the 1970s.

With thanks to Eddie Jenkins BA History (Aberystwyth University) and MA Museum Studies (University of Leicester). More information about whaling in Whitby can be found via his blog for Whitby Museum here.

Plans for temporary repairs to Whitby Swing Bridge now not confirmed says council

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

Temporary repairs to Whitby’s swing bridge, which North Yorkshire Council (NYC) said would be done before the end of summer, are still not confirmed.

Back in June and July, NYC said several times it was planning to trial a lighter road surface to help stop the bridge getting stuck in warmer weather – as the black road surface was absorbing heat in hot, sunny weather which caused it to expand and get stuck when the bridge opened and closed.

The authority had planned to trial a lighter road surface to deflect, rather than absorb, light and heat by the end of summer and, if it was successful, carry out permanent works.

However, this week a spokesperson for NYC said of the re-surfacing: “Further works to the swing bridge are yet to be confirmed. We will keep the public updated when we have more details.”

It follows a failure on the bridge on Tuesday evening where it got stuck again due to a sensor fault.

The swing bridge was closed for nearly a fortnight in July as engineers effectively shaved off the ends of each side of the bridge to allow it more room to move.

The town was split in two halves and shuttle buses were being put on to take people from one side of town to the other.

The fire service had also been drafted in earlier this year to spray jets of water to cool the road surface during unexpected closures.

First tuna landed in Whitby for 90 years now on menu in one of town’s oldest pubs

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

The same Bluefin Tuna which made national headlines when it was caught off the coast of Whitby a couple of weeks ago is now on the menu in two of the town’s pubs and bars.

For today and tomorrow, one of the town’s oldest pubs, The Black Horse, has put Whitby Tuna Poke Yapas on its menu alongside stalwart favourites such as French Onion Soup and Doorstep Cheese on Toast.

The dish also features Edamame Beans, Sweet Heat Pickles, Bell Pepper, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Pineapple and Pea Shoot Salad – but with just ten portions available, “once it’s gone, it’s gone”

Whitby Tuna Poke Yapas at the Black Horse. Picture: Ceri Oakes

Landlord, Ian Taylor, said: “When I read in The Anchor it had been landed I just thought ‘I am going to be selling that’. I understand some restaurants are nervous about putting something new on.

“We bought a small amount and will do it in two batches. There are 10 or 12 portions of it today and tomorrow and once it is gone, it is gone. As long as we can get some more, and if it goes well, we will give it a crack and do more.”

The tuna was caught on-board commercial fishing vessel, The Dominator A, a fortnight ago and snapped up by Hook To Plate, a fish merchant in the south-east of England.

Clive Easton, is the owner of The Dominator A, one of just 30 fishing boats in the UK meeting strict set criteria which allows him and his crew to land Bluefin Tuna. He works to a set quota and has to record and document his catches. Tuna have returned to the North Sea on the back of herring populations increasing and marine life being healthier.

Whitby Tuna Poke Yapas at the Black Horse. Picture: Ceri Oakes

There has been a resurgence in Whitby’s fishing industry in recent years, and Ian and wife Sue are hopeful sustainable tuna fishing can provide a further boost to crews, local restaurants and bars and foodies.

“The merchant sells to sushi restaurants in London, but imagine if we could celebrate it and tin Whitby tuna or have a tuna festival”, said Ian. “We are doing smaller portions so it is affordable as we want people to try it.”

Sue added: “For us it is so important to have Whitby caught tuna and for it to be kept in Whitby. We would love other places to stock it, as that is the only way it will be possible and to get more people into it.

The Black Horse pub on Church Street which will be serving Whitby-caught Tuna as part of their Whitby tapas menu. Picture: Ceri Oakes

“It is such a short season and we will not be able to buy it for very long. We put it on our social media and people say they are looking forward to trying it.”

Whitby’s new bar, The Treasury had also added dishes last week to its menu featuring sashimi-grade top loin Bluefin from the same tuna fish caught by The Dominator A.

New charity set up to support growing fight against wildfires

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

For a group of fire-fighters and countryside rangers, the fire which raged across the North York Moors last summer was a particularly painful watch.

An area they had tended to for more than 12 years left charred and lifeless, and a fire far bigger than anything they had come across in decades, almost too much to handle.

In the aftermath, and knowing fine well with climate change, it could easily happen again, they wanted to help.

Jay Marrison had been a ranger for North York Moors National Park for 12 years, and on top of that has run his own countryside management business for the last 11 years.

With wildfire training and equipment of his own, he wanted to help and came up with the idea of starting a wildfire charity.

It has taken a year to get the paperwork and practicalities in place and the Wildfire Response Team is now looking for more volunteers to get involved, and funding to get them trained, with a view to being operational by the new year.

With the Langdale and Fylingdales Moor fire of 2025 being the biggest in the region’s history, and a 2026 where more than 90 square miles of the UK were affected by wildfire, it a problem which will return next spring and summer.

Jay Marrison, founder of The Wildfire Response Team. Picture: Ceri Oakes

Jay said: “I grew up in a little village, have always worked outside and when you see it burning, you get invested. That was my old patch as a ranger and I wanted to do something to help.

“We have had the hottest summer for a few years and next summer will be hotter. We are all having to think about the impact of climate change.”

The Wildfire Response Team is far from a replacement, or instead of, statutory fire and rescue services, both here in North Yorkshire or anywhere else across the country, the team is keen to stress.

In fact, the organisation has been devised with the blessing of fire chiefs and built around some of the challenges North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service told Jay it had faced.

He explained: “We wanted to ensure anything we set up, they were in support of and could see the benefit of.

“When we liaised with NYFRS, it said it struggled to get access to drones, welfare units and the ability to move staff and resources on and off the moors quickly without pulling a fire engine off the scene.”

Covering these issues and practical jobs such as bringing water and food for crews, as well as fuel for vehicles, are roles the charity will undertake should the need arise.

It has had three drones donated as well as volunteer pilots, acquired a vehicle capable of off-roading and around 40 people have volunteered to help with various aspects of the charity.

Jay Marrison, with the Wildfire Response Team off-road vehicle. Picture: Ceri Oakes

Two of them are Chris Barker and Andy Cooke, who between them have served as volunteer fire-fighters at Goathland Fire Station for almost 40 years.

Chris, who was part of the huge fire-fighting effort, said: “It was a very big forest fire and we knew, if it got onto the wider moors, there was no stopping it. 

“If the ordnance had not been there it would have been damping down, but it was all the perfect storm for it to get away.

“When we turned up, we could just see a huge amount of forest on fire, didn’t know how big it was, couldn’t get around it and needed a drone. The fire service didn’t have one and the police one was being used.”

Andy added: “Fires are going to be an increasing problem each year and it is not just about the fires, communities are at risk now. We are not turning up and taking over, we are a support service, that is why we are here.”

It took six months to get charity status because there were no other charities in England and Wales proposing to do what the Wildfire Response Team were wanting to do.

After many questions, assurances and processes, status was granted in March of this year and since then it has been full steam ahead recruiting volunteers, applying for funding and visiting country and agricultural shows – including the Great Yorkshire Show, Ryedale and Goathland – to raise awareness and make useful contacts.

The charred landscape on Fylingdales Moor following last summer’s wildfires. Picture: submitted

Jay’s wife Sarah, who works in the voluntary sector and has done much of the application process, said: “We are very lucky people like Chris Barker and Andy Cooke have direct fire-fighting experience. That gives us credibility and experience to draw from, as there will be people who don’t have that experience and we will train them, but we didn’t expect to have so many people apply this quickly.”

Volunteers have all sorts of backgrounds, skills and qualifications and want to ‘give something back’ following the heroic efforts of fire crews, farmers and game-keepers to stop people and property succumbing to last summer’s unprecedented fire.

Jay Marrison, founder of The Wildfire Response Team with his wife Sarah, team member, Andy Cook, Chris Barker and Wayne Elliott. Picture: Ceri Oakes

Jay added: “We have a couple of people who have always wanted to look at being on-call fire-fighters but the commitment was too much. This, for them, is a way of doing a bit of that.

“Some people don’t want to be anywhere near a fire but can help with logistics, welfare, or even running a coffee morning or a tombola for fundraising – it all comes together.

“Our vision for this charity is to complement the work of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service but the eventual aim is to have locally based teams across the northern uplands, like Mountain Rescue Teams are and under the umbrella of the Wildfire Response Team.

“We need to prove it works first and then roll it out.”

Find out more about getting involved with the team here

Residents upset after early morning removal of Whitby’s whalebones

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

Local residents were reduced to tears this morning as Whitby’s historic whalebones were removed and left the West Cliff on the back of a truck.

Although it had been well-documented Whitby’s whalebones were to be removed in preparation for a bronze cast replacement, there has been confusion about the exact date with many saying they didn’t know and would have liked to have witnessed a milestone in the town’s history.

Even members of Whitby Town Council didn’t know and stumbled upon them being removed while walking on the West Cliff at around 8am this morning (Tuesday).

Coun Jane McLaren said: “It had been publicised it would be September, but you can’t get much earlier than this. North Yorkshire Council (NYC) did not let the people of our town know when this was happening. Many of our residents would have liked to witness this in person. I’m gutted.

“I grew up on the east side and lived in a cottage at the bottom of the 199 steps. One of my first memories is of myself and my brother seeing if we could count how many people were walking up here to the whalebones. I was five.”

Fellow town councillor, Fiona Shackleton added: “I know some people are unhappy about them being replaced and taken down, but we love the town, have a passion for it and it becomes part of your life. There has been a lack of information.”

In July, North Yorkshire Council said the whalebones would be removed in September, but didn’t specify a date, as they needed replacing due to years of exposure to the elements and harsh weather.

Creating the new bronze arch, costing £70,000, will involve producing moulds from the existing bones and manufacturing a bespoke internal framework which is set to be installed in the new year.

One of the most famous vistas in Whitby has now changed until the new year. Photo: Ceri Oakes

Local resident, Judith Benson was in tears as the current bones were driven away.

She told The Anchor: “I saw it online and just jumped in my car and came straight round, but I missed it and they are down. I touched them for the last time but by that time they were on the back of a lorry

“I know they have to come down, that is absolutely fine, they are going to a museum and that is great, and we have had them replaced before. But, people were married here, had photos taken here and I think they have done it secretly because they didn’t want there to be people here.

“It looks absolutely empty. The skyline has changed until the new year. It has affected me more than I thought, I am not usually bothered by stuff but this really has bothered me. I had asked the council when they would be taken and new ones put there. They just said next month.”

Former mayor of Whitby, John Freeman said he had been made aware of the date and hoped there would be a notice put up explaining why they have been removed.

Also an artist who has produced many pieces with the whalebones in, he said people would want to know what is happening with them.

He said: “I can understand a nervousness about the spectacle when they were taking them down, but there will be a big fuss when the new ones go in.

“We don’t have a problem with them being taken down but would like to see a prominent notice explaining what has happened and there will be a replacement.

“I am surprised the council has gone for the expensive option, but if they are in bronze, they will certainly see us out.”

Downton and Paddington actor added to line up for Whitby Lit Fest

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

As tickets go on sale today for the return of Whitby Lit Fest, the event has announced it has added the acclaimed actor, Hugh Bonneville, to its line-up.

Having played the role of Lord Grantham in Downton Abbey and Mr Brown in Paddington, Hugh Bonneville joins the festival as a headline guest thanks to his other role as a bestselling children’s author.

Bonneville will take to the stage on the Saturday of Whitby Lit Fest – which runs from Thursday November 19 to Sunday November 22 at venues across Whitby – for a special family event.

Packed with storytelling, spies, secret codes and some extremely suspicious cups of tea, he will introduce his latest book, Rory Sparkes and the Spy Who Loved Tea.

His latest adventure follows unlikely young hero Rory Sparkes, who discovers a series of secret coded messages hidden inside a neighbour’s recipe book and becomes convinced a mysterious family is involved in a covert conspiracy.

Actor Hugh Bonneville joins the line-up for Whitby Lit Fest taking place in November. Picture: Submitted

Things become stranger still when Rory’s mum, teachers and seemingly every adult around him develop an obsession with a particularly unpleasant new brand of tea. Could Rory finally have uncovered a genuine spy plot?

The book is aimed at readers aged seven to 11 and Bonneville will talk about creating Rory’s world, bring the story to life and take questions from young audience members and their families.

His addition provides another major name in an already packed Whitby Lit Fest programme spanning crime, fiction, history, poetry, politics, food, film, children’s literature and the stories of the Yorkshire coast.

Among this year’s headline guests are John Boyne, author of the international phenomenon The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas with his new novel, The Weight of Angels; Number One Sunday Times bestseller Ann Cleeves, marking 40 years in print and the publication of her 40th novel; Chocolat author Joanne Harris; Hairy Biker Si King; bestselling crime writers Elly Griffiths and Mark Billingham, and internationally acclaimed actor Greta Scacchi.

Dominic Gregory will be interviewed by The Anchor’s Emma Ryan and Ceri Oakes about Lifeboat at the End of the World, his memoir as a volunteer for the RNLI. Picture: Submitted

The festival will also welcome Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae for a special family event celebrating her picture book Put Your Records On, inspired by her much-loved hit song.

Other guests across the four days include Peter Oborne, Channel 4’s Chief Correspondent Alex Thomson, Louise Minchin, Lucinda Hawksley, Sally Coulthard, Jess Kidd, Laura Purcell, Andrew Lownie, Alistair Moffat, Sian Williams, Nicky Hambleton-Jones, Zaffar Kunial and many more.

Lois Kirtlan, chair of Whitby Lit Fest, said: “We were already incredibly proud of the programme we had assembled for Whitby this November, so to be able to announce Hugh Bonneville as a surprise addition just as tickets go on sale is fantastic.

“Hugh is loved by audiences of all ages, from Downton Abbey to Paddington, and we think families are going to have enormous fun discovering another side to him as the creator of Rory Sparkes.

“The whole programme reflects what we want Whitby Lit Fest to be – big-name writers alongside exciting new voices, events inspired by Whitby and the Yorkshire coast, and everything from crime and history to politics, poetry, food, film and children’s books.

“We would encourage people to take a look at the full programme and book early, particularly for some of our headline events and smaller-capacity venues.”

Events will take place at venues across the town, including Whitby Pavilion, Eighteen91, Flowergate Hall, Whitby Museum, Whitby Library, the Coliseum and the Jet Black Jewel.

Whitby Lit Fest opens on Thursday 19 November, with bestselling author Jess Kidd launching proceedings with a suitably seaside-themed mystery, before four days of conversations, performances, workshops, family events and literary encounters.

Hugh Bonneville is at Whitby Pavilion (Northern Lights Suite) on Saturday November 21, 1pm. Tickets £11 (adults) and £5 (children).

For the full programme and booking information, visit the Whitby Lit Fest website

Whitby Pirate Festival: Pictures

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

Swashbuckling sea-faring moored in Whitby this weekend with the annual Whitby Pirate Festival.

Pirate parades in the street, music, shanties, treasure hunts and family fun have taken place at various venues in the town across the weekend.

Whitby’s Pirate Festival started back in 2008 and raises funds for the RNLI.

Here are a few pirate pictures from the weekend so far.

Whitby Anchor