Bridlington's Hastily Arranged Vintage Festival Surpasses Expectations

Tuesday, 13 June 2023 16:47

By Matthew Pells

Thousands of visitors thronged the streets of the historic Bridlington Old Town on Sunday (11 June), after a Vintage Festival was created by local traders in just a few days.

After the shock news that the planned 1940/50s Festival had been cancelled by organisers, the Old Town Association (OTA), two local businesswomen decided to organise a new event.

Nikita Roberts and Holly Stabler got together and rapidly reorganised a new festival instead of leaving the streets empty and businesses and stallholders losing out on vital trade.

Nikita, who owns Sissy & One on High Street, said:

“The whole event, exceeded all expectations, there is a fantastic community spirit here that saw a small group of volunteers bringing together a wonderful day out in the old town.”

“I would like to sincerely thank everyone involved in the organising, plus all the people who attended and those that gave up their time free of charge to create a memorable festival.”

Helping Holly and Nikita were some members of the Regeneration of Bridlington Old Town (ROBOT) and several other volunteers.

As the roads couldn’t be closed, businesses generously offered their premises for free to some of the stall holders, with pubs booking vintage-era singers and acts and restaurants and shops utilising their back yards and gardens.

Many thousands of visitors arrived in outfits from the era, vintage vehicles made slow circuits around the streets and outdoor private areas were utilised for dancing and events throughout the day.

Holly Stabler, who runs the Board Inn on High Street hosted singers and several stall holders in the pub’s garden and was over the moon with how well the festival went saying:

“It was a wonderful day, and the Old Town pulled together to create a fantastic festival from nothing.”

“Losing the original event would have meant a great loss of revenue for local businesses, but many traders and stallholders reported record takings we had a day to remember.”

The Old Town Association was forced to cancel it's popular 1940's Festival last weekend after it failed to secure road closures for that event.

The cancellation came just a week ahead of the festival with the Association saying they were devastated to have to cancel the event:

"The cancellation was wholly due to a member of the committee, who was tasked and trusted to apply for the road closure and event’s license, as he had in previous years, each meeting from January he was asked and said it was done.

He failed to do this on time and by the time he admitted this to us and despite last minute efforts by the rest of the committee and fabulous staff at the Highways department at the East Riding Council, permission could not be granted to hold this event."