The Scarborough Fair Collection
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The Scarborough Fair Collection

The Scarborough Fair Collection
4.5
Temporarily closedClosed until further notice
About
The Scarborough Fair Collection hosts a magnificent working collection of Vintage Cars, Steam Engines, Vintage Fairground Rides and Mechanical Organs topped off with a 2 'Mighty' Wurlitzer Organs in our spacious ballroom. We host tea dances every Wednesday and Thursday afternoon with Michael Carr playing the "Mighty" Wurlitzer for you to dance along to.
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  • 92nixond
    Bury, United Kingdom27 contributions
    Interesting visit
    We saw a programme on TV where layne McDonald had visited this place, and it looked interesting, so as we were staying nearby, we paid it a visit. It was the first day of opening, as I believe it had been closed for a while, so it was a bit quiet but some of the items on display were well worth a visit. I particularly enjoyed seeing the musical organ in action. An amazing feat of engineering! There was a gentleman playing the Wurlitzer in the dancing hall which was Interesting to watch and listen too. There were couples ballroom dancing aswell, so it was like stepping back in time! The old fairground rides looked great aswell, although as it was quiet they weren't in operation which was a bit disappointing. All in all though it was well worth a visit!
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 1 April 2023
  • Laura T
    Middlesbrough, United Kingdom6,983 contributions
    Absolutely fantastic visit - highly recommend for all ages
    We were surprised by just how much there is to see and do here. We visited with elderly parents who absolutely loved strolling around and looking at all the classic cars and old fairground organs. I enjoyed going on a couple of the old carnival rides, just as motion sickness inducing as I remember! haha The rides are £1 each which I thought very reasonable, and they seemed to last a long time too. The fairground horses run on the hour, then the operator moves around the room, running 1 ride at a time. It was quite busy when we visited on a grey day during the Easter Bank holidays, but it was never too crowded and you didn't have to queue for very long for the rides. The only thing I couldn't work out was the penny arcade, we didn't see anywhere where you could buy the old pennies to play? although lots of of other visitors were enjoying the many different games. The cafe was really good with a selection of cakes. We enjoyed sitting in the large hall and relaxing with a cup of coffee and tasty treat, while listening to the organs playing. It was very atmospheric to be surrounded by so many grandiose fairground organs, such a wonderful experience and great location for a cafe. The oldies particularly enjoyed it, but even for a young family it was such a fun experience. For 20 minutes while we were there, there was even a gentleman playing the Wurlitzer which was very interesting to watch and listen to. The toilets are next to the cafe and were clean and tidy, a nice touch offering sanitary products for visitors. My only suggestion would be for a second baby change as there was always a queue for the only 1 available (in disabled toilet). The carpark was busy but there were plenty of spaces still when we visited, parking is free. A lot of reviews comment on how expensive it is, but we thought it was really good value! as there is such a lot to see. Adults are £9 each and over 65's are £8, our baby under 1yr was free. We will definitely be visiting again when in the area with family on a rainy day. To anyone reading this, just go - you won't regret it.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 9 April 2023
  • Alan S
    3 contributions
    A wonderful nostalgic trip but to the old fairground days.
    The collections is fantastic. Not only the fairground organs but vehicles also. Vintage motorcycles, Cars and fairground games. Ever car we went past was like "We had one of those" Cars Like Ford Model T, Ford Anglia, A35, Austin 1100, There are also Trucks, Traction engines. There are also fairground rides The dodgems where £2 a car and both of us commented at the speed, we thought faster than we remembered. After a couple of hours look around it was off to the Café for coffee and a scone. Also available were sandwiches and cakes. while we sat having our treats a gentleman was playing a Wurlitzer with couple ballroom dancing to the music it was a pleasant afternoon. Suitable for wheelchair users, they even had one we could use to go round with.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 20 April 2023
  • Holiday123
    45 contributions
    Great day out in Scarborough
    A fantastic attraction. Really enjoyed our day here today. Loads of great rides, fairground organs, penny arcade machines and various other exhibits. You no longer get one free ride voucher with your entrance ticket, but it was still great value. Unfortunately a key ride, The Ark, was out of order on the day we visited, which was a disappointment. I would also liked to have seen a historic information sign for the ghost train, dodgems and cake-walk, as the ride-operators did not know much about their provenance.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 April 2023
  • BarryC11
    Cannock, United Kingdom261 contributions
    Fantastic experience that brought back many memories.
    What an absolutely fantastic day out. From the minute that I entered, I could not stop smiling as it brought back so many memories from my childhood. Whether it be the old motorbikes along with sidecar, the vintage vehicles, the fun fair rides (some of which are still operating), the radios and jukebox, the wurlitzer, the fire engine, the list goes on. I loved every minute of it. If I return to Scarborough, this will definitely be on my list of places to visit again.
    Visited May 2023
    Written 31 May 2023
  • Tracy G
    Coventry, United Kingdom5 contributions
    True Nostalgia.
    Amazing place, full of nostalgia, memories and a great experience. An opportunity to experience some old fairground rides, dodgems, cake walk, walzers etc. Also there was a coffee morning dance too, with the old Wurlitzer being played.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 2 June 2023
  • glenis l
    3 contributions
    Good value for money
    What a gem of a place for all. We saw it advertised and decided it might be nice. Well we were impressed. The staff were friendly and happy to talk about the place. The exhibits were fabulous, with the added bonus of being able to have a go on some of the rides. The vehicles were in marvellous, showroom condition which showed off the dedication of the people who looked after them. The tearoom was a bonus with the organ being played whilst we had lunch. Probably more suited to the older generation , but there were children about who seemed to be enjoying it. Well worth the admission charge.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 June 2023
  • Sharon W
    2 contributions
    Scarborough Fair
    Interesting place to visit if you’re interested in vintage: car, bikes, tractors, caravans , buses etc and fairground rides. It’s all undercover so alright for a rainy day. @£9 per adult I felt it was a bit excessive considering rides are charged extra. If you wander round you’ll see it all in 30 mins, if you’re interested and take your time you could spend a few hours here. Cafe inside so no food or drink is permitted. Nice place if you’re interested and nostalgic but if you’re just going to pass a wet couple of hours definitely better value places to go especially for younger kids.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 17 June 2023
  • leehannan
    Cramlington, United Kingdom3 contributions
    Not as interesting as I first imagined
    Visited this place following a trip to Scarborough following high scores on Trip Advisor. £9 per person on entry (slightly cheaper for concessions / children / family deals). Scoured the whole place in around 30 minutes. Quite a few of the penny machines had signs on saying they no longer work because someone had placed newer coins in and they had jammed. The rides, which come at an extra cost £1 per person (£2 per car for the dodgems) are ran very infrequent and often end up crowded. At least 3 rides had signs on saying they were out of order. The vintage cars, toys etc you can’t touch or look inside. If you have a real vested interest in older machinery then this place may be of more interest to you but because everything was locked down and many rides off or run so infrequent a quick nip round was all we managed. Had a coffee in the cafe (£6 for 2) before leaving. All in all spent around 45 minutes at the place for an outlay of £24 for 2 people.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 June 2023
  • TrueTourist
    Stockton-on-Tees, United Kingdom64 contributions
    Just go..great place
    This is a fabulous place. Only £9 to get in each. Cheap considering that is a price of a pint and a half of lager or a large glass of wine and what you get for your money is amazing. You pay for the if you want but they are £1 a ride…worth every penny for a bit of history. Any complaints of the price is not taking into consideration the cost of running these places. We watched a Wurlitzer being played and a tea dance which was great Honestly just go, have a saunter around and experience the nostalgia here and it will be the best couple of hours you will spend on a rainy day
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 30 June 2023
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mamandladontour
Derbyshire, UK37 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
Visited on a wet day in half term having never heard of the place before! Spent an hour and would have loved to stay in the warm tea rooms if we weren't heading elsewhere afterwards. We enjoyed the mirrors, carousel, penny arcade, scale models and the dodgems. I hadn't realised it cost extra to go on the rides (make sure you take £ coins) and after the carousel being on the hour, there is an announcement to say which rides are going to be on next.
Written 5 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shaun P
Norwich, UK38 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Decided to do something inside as weather not great. Surprised by how big the museum was. The collection includes fairground rides, mechanical organs, vintage cars, vans, steam engines, motorbikes and tractors. You can go on some of the rides for a small extra charge, and some of the mechanical organs are playing during the day. The café is large, the same area has a ballroom and Wurlitzer organ, this was also played during our visit. Coffee and cake were good.
Written 31 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

kendon137
Bradford, UK23 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
This place is a hidden gem. Went here yesterday been wanting to go for a few years now . The old time dancing hall was great. The 1920s bar was fantastic. It is well worth and afternoon here. The tea and cakes were yummy. Loved going on the old rides the caterpillar was my favourite. All the staff are super friendly. Spent money in the old penny arcades . Loved it !!!
Written 27 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

holidaymanWashington
Washington, UK2,108 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Don't go in the school holidays.
Don't go when it is raining.
Don't go when there are any coach parties.

If you follow these simple rules, you should have a great time. To be fair, the lady on the ticket desk did say it was busy and that not all the rides were operational. It would have been better if she had either said that they were full that day or that there would be no food left. We would then not have bothered. We didn't want to go on any of the rides, so paid for entry. We had a quick look in the cafe and it was crammed. We then went in search of my personal favourites, the traditional fairground organs. The only one that was working, was a lacklustre, modern looking, digitalised affair. Whilst the music was alright, the contraption itself was a sorry specimen, compared to it's magnificent neighbours, none of which were working.

A number of announcements were made, none of which were intelligible. Most of the children that I saw, were far more interested in their mobile phones, rather than the exhibits. We eventually returned to the cafe and found an empty table. There were no sandwiches left for lunch, only scones. At that point, we decided to leave. I am pleased that we had already previously seen the place under better circumstances.

Am I going to Scarborough Fair? No! Never again.
Written 26 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bbillclaret
Preston, UK90 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
I visited this with my wife. Main reason was to ride the Carousal. This was brilliant. They have a fine collection of fairground rides. We also went on the ghost train.
Written 23 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

taylorfamily47
Rotherham, UK11 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
What an amazing, eclectic mix of vintage bicycles, motorcycles, cars, trucks and farming machinery - all sat in-and-around the most beautiful, ornate mechanical organs, classic Wurlitzer theatre organs and, of course, the vintage fairground rides.
There was honestly so much to see, listen to and admire - it's a wonderful day-out for both young and old.
Written 19 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sheila N
Torquay, UK12 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
We so enjoyed our visit to this attraction, loved seeing the classic vehicles, enjoyed the fairground rides and so lovely to see such a large age range of people from children to our age as seniors having such fun. Wished we lived closer to take our grandchildren, they would love it and a real nostalgia fest for us. Everywhere clean and tidy, very good sandwiches and cake in the cafe, staff friendly and welcoming, great admission price.
Written 15 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roy0758
Chesterfield, United Kingdom25 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
We were in holiday in Scarborough with a plan of visiting the Scarborough Fair Collection and Vintage Transport Museum and it turned out to be an excellent decision. The place brings out your inner child, my wife and I loved riding the Golden Gallopers together, for a few minutes you can leave your worries behind and become a carefree child again.

We purchased some old 1d coins to play on the arcade games which remind you of simpler times, we were thrilled to win 2d.

The vintage cars, motor bikes and commercial vehicles were in wonderful condition and because of the way the museum is set out you can get very close to everything.

The organs in varying shapes and sizes reminded us of Saturday morning trips to the cinema when we children.

We had a break in the cafe, my wife particularly liked the freshly made scone and the fact that there was sufficient butter. We also enjoyed listening to the Wurlitzer organ being played while we did not have a dance there is a dance floor where they hold dances every week.

Everything from the admission to the food in the cafe and the fairground rides was very reasonably priced.

It is worth another visit.
Written 5 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brian H
Oxford, UK189 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
An amazing collection of fairground rides and classic vehicles. All in well maintained condition and clearly cared for. Modest admission fee.
Written 2 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

patricia p
Risby, UK35 contributions
Sep 2023 • Friends
Have just been on holiday to North Yorkshire. While we were there we visited the Scarborough Fair. We had not been before and it was a real surprise to what we saw. There were Vintage cars and motor bikes and Commercial vehicles. After that we moved onto the Old time Fairground. while listening to the Mechanical Organs it was real treat and really nice to see all the fairground things which I remember very well. After we had looked round . Also check it outer we had looked round and enjoyed everything we had a break in the cafe which was also very good , in this area there was a dance floor where they hold dances in the week. Not expensive for a lovely day out.
You can find it between Scarborough and Filey
You can check it out on line as well.
Written 26 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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THE SCARBOROUGH FAIR COLLECTION: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about The Scarborough Fair Collection

The Scarborough Fair Collection is open:
  • Wed - Sat 10:00 - 16:00


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