by Rebecca Hannant
Skirlington Market and Car Boot, a Sunday tradition for thousands of visitors to the East Yorkshire coast, is at risk of closure after nearly 40 years of trading.
Unity Holidays, the new owners of Skirlington Leisure Park, has told market directors it intends to redevelop the land currently occupied by the market and car boot as part of wider investment in the site. Formal plans have not yet been submitted to East Riding Council, but if permission is granted the market would be given notice to leave.
The news has caused widespread concern among traders, regular visitors and local residents. Within days of the announcement, a social media post about the possible closure had been viewed more than 120,000 times, drawing hundreds of comments and messages of support. A petition calling for the market to be saved has also been launched.
Market director Tom Parry said the potential closure would be a huge loss for the area. “If you take the market away, then the amount of people attending each weekend will massively fall,” he said. “We get around 10,000 to 15,000 visiting us on a Sunday. The market is about half a day out, and then people can go elsewhere either into Bridlington or Hornsea for fish and chips, or they can go up the road to Mr Moos for an ice cream. Losing the market would be like taking the beach away from Bridlington.”
The market was founded in 1986 by Keith Bemrose and grew from a handful of stalls into one of Yorkshire’s largest markets. It remains family-run, now managed by Keith’s daughter Angela and son-in-law Tom. Over the years the site has seen millions of pounds invested in infrastructure, from refurbished sheds to improved roads, parking and facilities. Today it supports almost 200 traders and attracts coach parties from across the region.
Supporters say its loss would not just affect stallholders and car boot sellers, but also have a knock-on effect on neighbouring towns and villages. Many visitors combine their trip to the market with visits to coastal attractions, shops, cafés and pubs, boosting the local economy and tourism.
One regular visitor wrote online: “I love a wander round the market on a Sunday morning, have done for years. It’s the highlight of my week. It’s the only market I ever go to. It simply must stay.” Another added: “That would be a huge loss. We travel quite far for this car boot and market as it’s the only one left standing that is thriving. So sad.”
Unity Holidays said the decision to ask the market to vacate “is not one we have taken lightly” but argued the land could be better used to create more facilities for holidaymakers. Chief operating officer Dermot King said: “We believe this shows our desire to encourage more people to come and enjoy a break or own a holiday home on the East Yorkshire coast. That, in turn, allows us to employ more local people and support more local businesses.”