Scarborough is somewhere that’s special to me. I can’t visit the place without it bringing back memories of childhood holidays in a time before jumping on a plane and heading for the Med was really a thing. It’s easy for those memories to resurface because the touristy South Bay of Scarborough really hasn’t changed that much since the 1970’s/80’s.

Around this time last year, 2024, I started to document the Leeds Arts Centre’s theatre production of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I wanted to follow the process, from the first read-throughs of the script, with all of the hopefuls, right through to the performance. In a departure from my normal style of working, almost all of the project was photographed in Black & White too. It was a creative choice right from the start. I don’t know why I don’t work in Black & White more, because I love it. It’s just that it hasn’t really been the suitable medium for what I’ve been working on I suppose. I’m happy with how it’s worked in this case though & I’m happy with the decision I made at the start.

For the next installment of my Yorkshire: Shifting Sands project, I wanted to move away a little from the erosion & environmental changes that the coastline is undergoing to start looking at some of the social changes.

Bridlington is the southernmost of Yorkshire’s ‘big’ seaside towns.

As recently as 15 years ago, the coast road between Ulrome & Skipsea was the main bus route between the two small seaside towns. Having a regular bus service meant that the local caravan park was a thriving summer destination for people to enjoy the miles of sandy beach.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Easington beach. I think I was probably 8 or 9 years old last time. lt has changed in that time. The beach as grown considerably wider. Much of East Yorkshire’s coastline is made of soft clay. The cliffs were never going to be able to withstand the constant battering from the North Sea. Over the years, they have worn away, gradually depositing the wartime defences that used to protect the coast, on the beach.

I have had some time to work on my Yorkshire Coast project though. Little bits, here and there. Grabbing an afternoon where possible and weather permitting, to go out and get a few photographs. I’m already several locations behind with the sharing side of things, but that’s ok, the direction is always more important than the speed.

December on Spurn Point is bitterly cold. It catches the wind coming off the North Sea in a way that no other part of the Yorkshire Coast that I’ve ever been to does.