The construction of eight apartments on the site of the Three Tuns car park continues apace. Belle Vue Street is temporarily closed whilst a large crane lifts concrete pre-cast sections onto the site. However, the road will reopen shortly, albeit with a one-way restriction which is remaining in place until April next year.

The car park of the Three Tuns was once the site of the Royal Hotel. The hotel was opened in 1848. Given that the railway arrived at Filey in 1846, the hotel was probably built in expectation of increased trade. The first manager was one George Tatton-Field, formerly the Maitre d’Hotel to the Guards Club in London. He had also previously managed the Royal Hotel, Malahide near Dublin.

A fanciful drawing of The Royal from the Filey guide book of 1856. To enhance perceptions of the hotel every other building on Belle Vue Street was not depicted!

The Royal featured dining rooms, a drawing room, ball room, private sitting rooms, ‘excellent’ bedrooms and a billiard room. On opening it was advertised as being suitable for ‘nobility and gentry’. However, by the twentieth century it had closed as a hotel and was demolished around 1936. The site remained unoccupied and was used as the site of a market and car parking until construction began on the new apartments in Autumn 2020.

The Royal on the left-hand side of Belle Vue Street. As seen from a postcard image taken around 1900.