Britain’s oldest cliff lift is closed with immediate effect after 150 years over safety fears

A POPULAR seaside town has been forced to close its cliff lift with immediate effect over safety fears. The attraction, which cost £8,000 to build, is the oldest of its kind in the UK and first opened in the coastal resort in 1875. No decision has yet been made on when the Spa Cliff Lift in Scarborough will reopen Credit: Alamy The lift is one of Scarborough’s most popular heritage attractions Credit: GOOGLE Engineers assessing Scarborough Spa Cliff Lift found “a number of issues”, resulting in its closure. The Victorian-era lift is one of the seaside town‘s most popular heritage attractions. Sign up for the Travel newsletter Thank you! Last year, a host of live performances and exhibitions were held in the town to celebrate its 150th anniversary. Carl Les, councillor with North Yorkshire Council, said “the lift is an important part of Scarborough’s history and identity”. He added that no decisions had been made “regarding the scope of any future works, timescales or funding arrangements”. The findings would be assessed in detail and further updates would be shared “in due course”, the council added. The lift was used to transport passengers between the hotels on the Esplanade and the spa and was originally powered by water and gas engines. It was converted to run on electricity in the 1950s. Most read in Travel The latest report investigated the condition of the tracks, carriages and associated infrastructure, the council said. The council added that as the lift is in a “challenging coastal environment”, this could accelerate wear and corrosion. Comment now