Scarborough has been named the most enterprising town in Europe. CHARLOTTE PERCIVAL looks at some of the reasons why.

WHEN Adrian Riley arrived in Scarborough six years ago, he was searching for calm, new business and prosperity.

The graphic designer wanted to relaunch his business in the seaside town, buy into the creative scene and raise a family.

What he found was a place in serious need of regeneration, barely used by the locals and, he adds, it was impossible to find decent coffee.

The Scarborough of 2009, which was this week named the most enterprising town in Europe at a glittering ceremony in Prague, is barely recognisable, he says.

The once-neglected seaside resort beat off competition from Finland’s capital city, Helsinki; Spain’s second biggest port, Valencia; and Liege in Belgium, known for its beer, chocolate and water exports.

Despite its population of only 50,000, Scarborough, which was last year named Britain’s Most Enterprising Town, has encouraged people to start-up businesses and create jobs, stamp out seasonal unemployment and attracted more than £200m of private sector investment.

Not bad for a town where seven years ago, unemployment was twice the North Yorkshire average and seasonal joblessness was up to 20 per cent in the winter months So how did it happen?

By hard work, forward thinking and plenty of creativity from the community, says Mr Riley.

“People want to buy into the creative life by the sea and Scarborough has reinvented itself as a creative town,” he says.

“It is very much focussed on the creative industry as part of the economy of the future.

“The best evidence is the sea front and the area around the harbour – you can get free Wi-Fi in that area now and the cafés have espresso machines. You see people going for breakfast and checking their emails there and you would never have seen that before. The whole mood of the town has changed too. It believes in itself. It is a bit of a cliché but Scarborough has become more of a European city.”

Millions of pounds have been poured into regeneration he says, including a Creative Workspace for artists, designers and film makers, redeveloping the Rotunda Museum and a harbour pontoons project.

Yorkshire Forward designated Scarborough as one of its regeneration towns and the Scarborough Renaissance Partnership was established, linking Scarborough Borough Council with business leaders and the wider community.

It launched a Waking Sleeping Beauty project to improve the town’s economic fortune and wean it off its dependence on the tourism and fishing industries.

Businessman Don Robinson, former chairman of Scarborough Football Club, has done his share of regenerating Scarborough.

His past projects include founding Marineland in Scarborough and building a chairlift running up the hillside.

“In its day, Scarborough was one of the top tourist resorts in Britain,” he says.

“It was on its way out and it is wonderful to see it being restored to its former glory. Everybody will be delighted with the award, particularly the hoteliers and people in the holiday industry who are going through the recession. I think it’s fabulous and the council have got to take great credit for that happening.

“However, there is still a long way to go.”

Building a sea wall on Marine Drive helped greatly but a motorway between York and Scarborough, to ease the congested A64, is essential, he says.

Scarborough should also market itself as the home of playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn.

“He’s a national hero around the world – I think the town should have a big bronze statue of him.” Sir Alan himself is delighted by the news.

“The town has a rich and constantly developing cultural life with many talented and enterprising people working within it. It is wonderful to see their hard work and the town’s many achievements being recognised in this way.”

It might have worked for Scarborough, but how could other towns in North Yorkshire move forward?

“You need a lot of thrust; not just talk,” says Mr Robinson.

“You need a lot of get-up-and-go and forward-looking people.”

Mr Riley agrees. “You also need a good partnership between the community and the Local Authority. The council isn’t just coming up with the ideas, the community is.”