Earl of Scarbrough's Skegness Beach Cafe

We all recognise this picture of the Cafe Dansant, which later became the Foreshore Information Centre, on what is now Tower Esplanade. But did you know that it was originally called the Garden Pavilion and was owned and opened as a beach cafe by none other than the Earl of Scarbrough? Read on to find out more…

The paragraph below is an extract from a 1914 issue of the Skegness Herald:

Lord Scarbrough’s Garden Pavilion and Cafe which is to be erected on the beach on the south foreshore in a line with Lumley Road. Of handsome design, the building when completed will have a frontage to the pullover of 107 feet and 30 feet to the south. A cafe will be provided on the ground floor, outside which will be a loggia and a garden cafe on the roof. The Skegness Council has passed the plan provisionally, Mr F Tugwell, of Scarborough is the architect. He also designed Arcadia.

Our photos below show the Cafe Dansant, a little later in time than when it was owned by the Earl of Scarbrough:

Earl to keep a Beach Cafe
Peer Setting Up as Caterer

Source: The Daily Citizen

Like many another member of our old nobility, Aldred Frederick George Beresford Lumley, tenth Earl of Scarbrough, has decided to go into trade.
Before the season commences he will, if the justices grant him a licence, be retailing 10oz chops, pots of tea (fresh made for every customer), and roll and butter galore in an up-to-date, fully privileged restaurant at Skegness-on-Sea.

This Lincolnshire resort is four hours’ run from King’s Cross and no doubt now that the earl is about to cater for the masses of the Greater Northern Railway Company will see that plenty of excursion trains reach there this coming season.

In short the earl had decided to relinquish his investments in real estate and go in for cafe-keeping. Perhaps he has become unduly alarmed at Lloyd George’s land campaign and, realising that there is little likelihood of the Chancellor interfering with the restaurant business, has decided to throw in his lot with the catering profession.

Anyway, the earl, who is lord of the manor at Skegness has placed the great portion of his seaside estate, including the pleasure gardens and the park which have been enjoyed from time immemorial, into the market and has already sold a large number of desirable building sites.

Now comes the erection of the restaurant upon the south foreshore. The local council have blessed and passed the plans and the builders are getting busy. Meantime, those of the community who dearly love an earl are living in anticipation of seeing his lordship check the cash register o’ rights and hoist up the shutters.