In the first talk of the season, Mike Wynn showed how the East Riding market towns and coastal resorts waxed and waned with developments in land use, and road, rail and water transport.

Mike listed the key features that led to towns or villages becoming market centres. He went on to explain how land enclosures acts led to agricultural surpluses and the need for better transport links.

This affected the viability of some market towns and explains how, following the opening of the Driffield canal, the main corn market moved there from Bridlington, which had poor road links.

The arrival of the railways changed things again, particularly for coastal resorts. Mike listed the characteristic features of a successful seaside resort, most shared by Bridlington.  Even so visitors arriving by rail had to travel via Hull to Bridlington until a direct route was built in the 1890’s.

The vote of thanks was given by Marjorie Davey.