The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free

Pleasant Dreams
The relativity of pleasure, as seen with one family escaping Castleford for the delights of a brisk Scarborough beach, sea and donkey rides.
From the collection of:

Overview
Keen amateur filmmaker Eric Bolderson films one of his many trips to Scarborough in the 1950s; here with his wife Irene, getting covered in sand as she lounges on a deckchair on the South Bay packed with many other holidaymakers trying to stay warm on a blustery day. Meanwhile the children are having a great time playing in their swimwear on the beach, despite the cold.
Eric Bolderson ran a bookies’ in Castleford, following his father, and was well known locally, especially for his sense of humour. This shows in many of the films he made in the 1950s and ‘60s, which he would show in a makeshift cinema in his small attic. Eric frequently had trips to Scarborough at this time – this one shortly after Irene had her first child, Janet – and was later to retire there. Perhaps rather surprisingly, among the places that can be seen in the background, the ice cream parlour, Pacittos, is still there (with the same sign) as is Corrigan’s amusement arcade, while Sulman's fancy good shop and the Futurist Theatre were only closed in 2015, as was the life boat house – to be replaced with a new one.
Related

Yorkshire Riviera Yorkshire Riviera
Amateur film 1958 19 mins Silent Location: Redcar
A nostalgic dip and drive around the North Yorkshire coast in the sun-kissed 50s.

Scarborough Ahoy! Scarborough Ahoy!
Drama 1994 33 mins Location: Scarborough
A straight woman and a gay man cruise their way across North East England in this Tennessee Williams-inspired short.

'Scarboro' 'Scarboro'
Non-Fiction 1922 1 mins Silent Location: Scarborough
Hockey on the beach at Scarborough

Max Jaffa: Farewell to Scarborough Max Jaffa: Farewell to Scarborough
Documentary 1986 24 mins Location: Scarborough
Middle England out on the east coast of Yorkshire enjoy the soothing music of Max Jaffa in his final year, playing for his devoted followers.

One Man's Meat One Man's Meat
Amateur film 1951 7 mins Silent Location: Scarborough
Not too sure what the poison would be in this delightful film of two couples enjoying the Yorkshire coast, certainly not the end of the day beer.

Weekend Travels Weekend Travels
Amateur film 1957 5 mins Silent Location: Scarborough
High frolics on the beach that epitomise a typical 1950s British day out at the seaside, before vests and braces went out of fashion.

New Perspectives: Tangerine New Perspectives: Tangerine
Short documentary 2025 3 mins
Harry Wallace, a student at Northumbria university, explains why Sean Baker's LA-set comedy-drama, about a transgender sex worker on the hunt for her cheating -ex, is worth your time.

Daniel Craig in Conversation with Mark Kermode Daniel Craig in Conversation with Mark Kermode
Inside Film 2025 44 mins
Daniel Craig talks to Mark Kermode about his acting career, from his early role in Love is the Devil through to the Luca Guadagnino directed Queer.

New Perspectives: Fish Tank New Perspectives: Fish Tank
Short documentary 2025 4 mins
Adam Smith of Northumbria University explains why Andrea Arnold's coming-of-age story, about a girl who uses dance to escape, is his favourite film on BFI Player.

New Perspectives: Pusher New Perspectives: Pusher
Short documentary 2025 5 mins
Noah Ball of Northumbria University explains why you should seize the chance to watch Nicolas Winding Refn's debut.

Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A
Inside Film 2025 38 mins
Kyle MacLachlan talks to BFI CEO Ben Roberts about working with David Lynch on the legendary series Twin Peaks.

On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.