To enjoy an afternoon concert by organist Howard Beaumont, is to not just be reminded of some of the great popular music of 20th Century, but also of a musical culture that has been as much part of Scarborough as seafront amusements and Fish & Chips.

Over this afternoon performance Howard makes several jokes about the length of his career, not least introducing a tune he played at his very first appearance at Scarborough Spa – “…that was in 1886.” But there are genuine anecdotes from his 60 years entertaining which began playing the organ in a circus. Now it’s hard to imagine a summer season at The Spa without ‘The King of the Keyboards’, although there’s a slight touch of melancholy as he plugs his latest CD – a collection of his favourite tunes over that time, and he says, probably the last recording he’ll make.

There are plenty favourites to enjoy today from jaunty marches to tunes purposely written to showcase that classic British seaside organ sound and which demand an admirable dexterity on the three keyboards (four, if you count the bass notes played by foot). Musicals feature strongly, including a medley from ‘Oklahoma!’, and the presence of local Elvis impersonator, Tony Skingle, prompts a collection of Elvis tunes seemingly all from memory.

The Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia from Khachaturian’s music for the ballet ‘Spartacus’ takes us into classical territory, although with the excuse that many of the audience remember it as the theme tune for the 1970s BBC drama ‘The Onedin Line’.

The Spa is pretty much the sole guardian of a certain type of seaside entertainment that was once central to Scarborough’s image and it has the UK’s only remaining professional seaside orchestra. Alongside contemporary music events the venue still hosts entertainments that were a mainstay of previous eras, such as tea dances for which Howard also plays. There may come a time when there’s no longer an audience that knows how to dance those steps and that particular seaside tradition will come to an end. But today, there’s a decent sized crowd filling the deckchairs, because for many a visit to Scarborough is still unthinkable without an afternoon’s music in the Spa Suncourt, and just perhaps there’s a potential heritage appeal in such concerts. Certainly one suspects that as long as there’s an audience, Howard will be up on the stage playing.

Howard’s new CD is called ‘The Best of Times’ – the same title as his autobiography – and there are few in this afternoon’s audience who would take issue with that title.

You can still catch Howard at Scarborough Spa this season, as he performs his free Music Afternoon show on Wednesday until 18 September 2024, and his Coffee Dance on 23 October and 6 November.