A SET of benches and their surroundings by the North Yorkshire seaside have been granted legal protection and are now part of the national list of historic buildings.

The public seating shelter on the Scarborough seafront was built during the Edwardian years, shortly before the First World War.

It has been given a Grade II listing on the advice of Historic England, which oversees the national list of protected buildings.

Veronica Fiorato, the organisation’s team leader for listing in Northern England, said: “This shelter is a living piece of social history that helps tell the story of Scarborough from its heyday as a seaside resort to the present day.

“For the past century people have used the public space to shelter from the elements, eat melting ice creams, drink flasks of hot tea, rest their tired legs or to simply contemplate the view.

“Listing the structure will help ensure that it continues to be enjoyed for generations to come.”

The new Grade II structure is on the seafront immediately below St Nicholas’ Gardens and consists of a series of decorative ironwork arcades and a rooftop viewing terrace over benches.

The official listing says it was chosen because of its architectural interest as a “a decorative piece of Edwardian street furniture specifically designed for the benefit of visitors to enjoy the seaside surroundings”.

It was also listed for its historic interest “as a structure associated with Scarborough’s notable and long-standing social history as an important seaside tourist resort.”

It was constructed between 1904 and 1907 under the direction of Scarborough’s borough engineer and surveyor Harry W Smith.

Between 1897 and 1933, he also oversaw the creation public gardens, public toilets and an outdoor bathing pool.