Whether foreign holidays happen this summer or not, the residents of York at least won’t have to venture far afield to enjoy some sand, deckchairs and all things beachy when an exciting new attraction opens this summer. The YO1 Beach Club is a brand-new family-friendly space located in Tower Gardens at the foot of Skeldergate Bridge, opening on Thursday 24th June and running until Sunday 5th September.
The YO1 Beach Club is designed to be a fun and safe urban oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, with peaceful views of the river and passing boats. The Club will comprise a wood-panelled covered café and veranda with a boardwalk entrance across a beach area styled with striped deckchairs, bunting, and lobster pots. Four brightly coloured beach huts on the sand will serve teas and coffees, ice creams, as well as beach apparel and toys.
Alcoholic Beverages
The newly opened YO1 Beach Club is extending its hours and adding alcoholic beverages to its offering on Friday and Saturday afternoons and evenings until 10pm during July and August, as well as Sundays 22nd and 29th August.
There will also be an open barbeque serving a choice of delicious grilled food as well as a menu for kids. The café menu includes refreshing mocktails, milkshakes and coke floats as well as coffee and a non-alcoholic range of drinks. Kids birthday and party packages are also available, with advance bookings being taken. Check facebook for details.
Children’s Sandpit
A separate canvas-covered children’s sandpit will keep kids entertained as well as sheltered from the sun or rain, with a dinghy to climb aboard, a seahorse treasure hunt and educational boards about preserving the environment of our seashores and oceans, as well as safety at the seaside and around rivers.
The YO1 Beach Club will support two charities – the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) whose search and rescue service has been saving lives around the UK coast for nearly 200 years, and York Rescue Boat, an independent lifeboat and search and rescue team centring around the Rivers Ouse and Foss.
The YO1 Beach Club is produced by Coopers Marquees, a family-run, York-based business which is now the 10th largest marquee company in the UK with a national reputation for excellence. The company supplies a range of structures to events large and small including York Racecourse and The Great Yorkshire Show.
Johnny Cooper, CEO of Coopers Marquees said “York has so many wonderful public spaces, and to be able to create a beach vibe in a beautiful park beside the river is a great opportunity and will provide a novel and fun destination for locals and staycationers alike.”
Rachel Harvey, Development Manager at Make It York said “The YO1 Beach Club will be a fabulous family-friendly addition to York’s city centre – offering a unique setting for residents and visitors to sit and enjoy the lovely riverside views. The new concept brings together vibrant outdoor seating spaces, a fantastic food and drink offer and fun family activities for people to relax and safely enjoy throughout the summer months.”
The YO1 Beach Club will conform to all prevailing government guidelines regarding Covid-19.
The YO1 Beach Club will be open from 10am until 7pm daily from 24 June to 5 September. The YO1 Beach Club is located in Tower Gardens, adjacent to the river and just across Tower St from Clifford’s Tower, and is named after its postcode YO1 9RZ. There is easy parking in the adjacent St George’s Field car park.
