Placemarque

Exploring the Yorkshire coast: a new instruction for Whitby

One of the first things we do when we embark on a new project is to visit the place and meet local stakeholders.

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Following the success of our work in Scarborough, we’ve been instructed by the borough council to move our focus 20 miles further north to Whitby, the historic port and home to the replica of Captain James Cook’s HMS Endeavour.

Whitby town centre spans both sides of the harbour

Having recently seen the signs being installed in Scarborough, we are buoyed to expand the wayfinding strategy up the coast to Scarborough’s quainter, quirkier neighbour. Whitby’s history as a sea faring port and its connections to Captain Cook may be well known, but its role in inspiring novelist Bram Stoker’s Dracula is perhaps less so.

Sue Manley, Placemarque’s Strategy Director, said:

“The towns of Scarborough and Whitby have some similarities, such as their coastal and beach attractions, and they share some common challenges too. However, each has its own distinct character as well.

“Our focus will be on identifying what makes Whitby particularly special, and improving visitor engagement with its lesser-known attractions so that people are encouraged to stay longer and plan a return visit.”

As with all our strategies, we’ve been getting out and about to better understand how the place fits together, scope out the key destinations and get a feel for what the pedestrian wayfinding experience is at present.

Initial site visit with local stakeholders

Typically, visitors converge along two busy routes within the town centre, either side of the harbour. Our scoping study will help us to pinpoint where improvements need to be made to wayfinding in the town in order to encourage visitors to venture off the beaten track and explore further inland.

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