Coble Market and the Return of Independent Scarborough
There is something encouraging happening in Scarborough at the moment.
Not in the big headline, “multi-million pound regeneration” sort of way. Something smaller, but arguably more important. Independent businesses, artists, food producers and local makers are beginning to reclaim space in the town again and create places where people actually want to spend time.
The arrival of the Coble Market in St Helen’s Square feels part of that shift.
Held on the second Sunday of the month, the market brings together local artists, vintage sellers, craft makers, food vendors and musicians right in the centre of Scarborough. It is not trying to be overly polished or manufactured. It feels local, creative and relaxed, which suits Scarborough far better anyway.
For visitors staying at Cliff House Holiday Cottages, it is exactly the sort of thing that makes a North Yorkshire break feel more connected to the places around you.
A Different Side of Scarborough
For many people, Scarborough still means beaches, arcades, fish and chips and summer crowds. Those things remain part of the town, and rightly so, but there is another side to Scarborough that is easy to miss if you only visit for the day.
Around the old town, Westborough, St Helen’s Square and the Market Hall & Vaults, there has been a steady growth in independent businesses over recent years. Small coffee shops, galleries, record stores, bakeries, vintage shops and creative spaces have started giving the town a different feel. We would definitely recommend a visit to nearby Crema e Cioccolato,a fantastic Italian coffee and ice cream cafe.
Markets like Coble Market help bring all of those strands together.
You can browse ceramics from a local maker, pick up artwork inspired by the Yorkshire coast, stop for coffee, listen to live music and then disappear into the Market Hall for lunch or a wander around the independent traders inside.
It encourages people to slow down a bit rather than simply pass through.
Why Independent Markets Matter
One of the things we come back to often at Cliff House is the importance of supporting local businesses.
Not in a worthy or preachy sense, but because places genuinely become more interesting when independent businesses survive and grow.
A local market means:
- More opportunities for local artists and makers
- More money staying within the local economy
- More reasons for visitors to spend longer in the town
- More character and individuality
- More stories behind what you are buying
You notice the difference quite quickly.
The coffee shop owner knows the baker. The artist selling prints also works in the gallery around the corner. The food producer sources ingredients locally. Conversations happen naturally and places begin to feel connected rather than transactional.
That sense of place is often what people remember most from a holiday.
Building a Slower Yorkshire Break
One of the reasons guests increasingly choose North Yorkshire is because they want a break that feels a little less rushed.
The traditional “see everything in one weekend” approach is beginning to give way to something slower. A morning market. A walk on the beach. Lunch somewhere independent. An afternoon wandering around small shops or galleries rather than standing in queues.
Scarborough works surprisingly well for that sort of day.
Start with breakfast at the cottage, head into town mid-morning for the market, spend time around the Market Hall and old town, perhaps walk down towards the harbour or South Bay, then return to Cliff House in the evening for the pool, the gardens or a walk through Wishing Well Wood.
Nothing particularly complicated. Just a genuinely good day out.
Staying at Cliff House Holiday Cottages
Cliff House Holiday Cottages sits in the village of Ebberston, on the edge of the North York Moors National Park, around 25 minutes from Scarborough.
Many of our guests use us as a base to explore both coast and countryside during the same stay. One day might involve steam trains and moorland walks, the next could be spent browsing independent shops, galleries and markets on the coast. Have a look at what can be done within 20 minutes of Cliff House.
Back at Cliff House, guests have access to:
- An indoor heated swimming pool
- Two acres of gardens and woodland
- Wishing Well Wood and woodland campfire area
- A games room with pool table and table tennis
- Dog friendly accommodation
- EV charging and fast WiFi
- Walks from the door
It is the sort of location that works particularly well if you want to mix busy days out with somewhere calmer to return to afterwards.
Planning Your Visit
Coble Market takes place on the second Sunday of the month in St Helen’s Square, Scarborough.
If you are planning a North Yorkshire break and want to experience a different side of Scarborough, it is well worth timing your visit around it.
Because while big attractions matter, often it is the smaller experiences that shape a holiday most. A conversation with a maker. Discovering a great coffee shop. Finding artwork you were not expecting. Wandering through a market with no particular timetable.
Those are usually the moments people remember afterwards.
For more information on staying with us, visit Cliff House Holiday Cottages.
