Grace Bingham, 71, remembers Elvis in Scarborough, August 1977 + some new photos

Pretty self-explanatory
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johnfoyle
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Grace Bingham, 71, remembers Elvis in Scarborough, August 1977 + some new photos

Post by johnfoyle »

http://www.scarboroughtoday.co.uk/ViewA ... ID=1308032

Image

10 January 2006

End of era as Bedford reverts to flats

FROM Sir Sacheverell Sitwell to the Sex Pistols, the former Bedford Hotel in Belvoir Terrace, Scarborough, has had its fair share of famous occupants over the years.

But now the Grade II listed building is reverting to flats as its owner of 29 years hands over the business to her son John.

"It's like the end of an era," said Grace Bingham, 71, who asked guests at her retirement party to donate money to St Catherine's Hospice in lieu of presents.

Mrs Bingham said the hotel used to put up a lot of the artists who played at the Penthouse nightclub in the 70s and 80s, including Elvis Costello and the Sex Pistols. She insists the punk band did not trash their rooms – although "they drank quite a lot".

John Bingham, who has helped with the management of the hotel in addition to Scholars Bar and the hotel bar, said although it was doing well enough, the style of the hotel was no longer suited to today's marketplace.

"It's not got a lift in, it's quite a rambling old building and we couldn't accommodate coaches or provide parking – plus an old property needs investment and we didn't know if it was viable."

Mr Bingham said the flats, which will be sold, would fit in better with the predominantly residential character of The Crescent.

The Edwardian terraced property was the birthplace of the poet and art critic Sir Sacheverell Sitwell, whose father Sir George Reresby Sitwell was a former Scarbor-ough MP and whose famous literary family lived at what is now Wood End Museum.

Mrs Bingham, who lives in Scalby, said she would be taking a well-earned rest. She thanked all her staff, some of whom have been at the hotel for more than 20 years.

Her son said the two bars would remain, with the conversion of the rooms due to get underway in a couple of months.
Azmuda
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Re: Grace Bingham, 71, remembers Elvis in Scarborough

Post by Azmuda »

Resurrecting this old thread to ask:

Does anyone know if EC & The Attractions played the Futurist Theatre in Scarborough on October 22, 1982?

It's listed in Smash Hits (July 8, 1982), but it's not listed in the gigography.

Image Larger version here.
johnfoyle
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Re: Grace Bingham, 71, remembers Elvis in Scarborough

Post by johnfoyle »

This ad. from the time doesn't list a show on Sept. 22nd. Perhaps Smash Hits were given a early version of the schedule which ended up getting changed - Image


Elvis doesn't seem to have much luck when it comes to Scarborough - a 1999 show , with Steve Nieve, in the same venue was cancelled.
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krm
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Re: Grace Bingham, 71, remembers Elvis in Scarborough

Post by krm »

I checked old ECIS issues as well as Groothuizens "Going through the motions" and no mention of Scarborough in 1982.
FAVEHOUR
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Re: Grace Bingham, 71, remembers Elvis in Scarborough

Post by FAVEHOUR »

It looks like it would've been September 22, not October.

But a non-event either way I guess.

Dave
Azmuda
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Re: Grace Bingham, 71, remembers Elvis in Scarborough

Post by Azmuda »

FAVEHOUR wrote:It looks like it would've been September 22, not October.

But a non-event either way I guess.
Oops. Good catch, thanks. I meant September, not October.

Thanks to everyone for checking.
johnfoyle
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Re: Grace Bingham, 71, remembers Elvis in Scarborough

Post by johnfoyle »

Just to be sure I e-mailed The Futurist about this -

http://www.futuristtheatre.co.uk/


Andrew
replied today -



To be honest I don’t know as we took over the Futurist December 2002 after it had been closed down, and most of the records previous to that were either removed or destroyed by the previous operators.

Sorry I can’t be any more helpful than that, perhaps Scarborough Evening News or the Library could shed further light on this for you?



........and later added


Believe it or not I’ve just spoken to an old cleaner who I just bumped to while in town and she remembers Elvis Costello, Big Country, Hot Chocolate, The Beatles, The Who, Status Quo and The Rolling Stones appearing here but she can’t remember when, she just remembers these particular shows because “it was a bloody pig sty to clean after them!!!”

I'll get on to the 'paper later.

The only other Elvis show, on record, in the town was in another venue in 1977 -


http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... carborough


And , yes, I checked it wasn't a venue that subsequently changed it's name to The Futurist.
johnfoyle
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Re: Grace Bingham, 71, remembers Elvis in Scarborough

Post by johnfoyle »

Some ongoing research of Elvis in Scarborough has thrown up this comment on his 1977 show -


Just checked, it was Friday 26th August 1977. I remember he was wandering round the place before his set, chatting to random people and generally acting like a hippy.

The Pistols having played the previous night, Elvis suffered a bit in comparison. He had enjoyed favourable write ups in the music press (but who didn't those days?) but I guess no one really knew what to expect, we were all still a bit new to the punk thing and I don't think he had any records out then. If not everyone liked the Pistols, at least we got what they were about, but Elvis was much less in your face, much more restrained musically, almost disappointing for those who had expected another onslaught of one chord and a lot of swearing. The anger was in the words of course, but on the night a lot of people were left wondering what the fuss was all about. I was one of a few who left before the end, though I did get to see him a few more times in later years.

So, not the greatest night ever at the Penthouse but one to say you were there.

Oh, and the Police played the following Friday, but I missed that one.



I'll be following up aspects of this , when I get back from holidays next week.
johnfoyle
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Re: Grace Bingham, 71, remembers Elvis in Scarborough

Post by johnfoyle »

EC, August 26, 1977, Scarborough, England, The Penthouse - photos , new to me, by Mark Dillon-Kelly recently shared on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 535%2C2048


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