A SEASIDE resort has been named the most English place in the country, after a survey revealed it had the most traditional businesses per capita.

Scarborough was one of three North Yorkshire towns – the others being Harrogate and York – to make it into the top ten of an Englishness survey commissioned to mark St George’s Day, next Thursday.

The survey – commissioned by local information website locallife.co.uk – revealed Scarborough to have a traditional business, organisation or club for every 618 residents.

The categories of Englishness were cricket clubs, tea rooms, fish and chip shops, holiday camps and Morris dancing troupes.

Although three North Yorkshire towns were listed, making it arguably England’s most English county, no North-East towns made it into the top ten.

The survey names Hartlepool as the North-East’s most English town, with 2,368 residents per traditional attraction.

Durham has the North-East’s least English attractions, with more than 6,000 residents for every one.

Scarborough was followed in the rankings by Penwith, in Cornwall – home to Land’s End, the most westerly point in mainland England.

York finished in fourth place overall, while Harrogate – famous for the traditional Bettys Tea Rooms – finished ninth.

Other entrants in the top ten included Hastings, scene of the battle of 1066, in seventh position. Westminster, home of Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and the “home of cricket”, Lord’s, came in eighth.

The London borough of Tower Hamlets, the location of the Tower of London, completed the top ten.

Tony Martin, chairman of locallife.co.uk, a network covering every town and city in the UK, said: “Calls for a public holiday on St George’s Day and a bigger celebration of England’s patron saint have intensified in recent years.

“Although there’s some uncertainty about whether St George actually set foot on English soil, there is no doubting Scarborough’s English credentials.

“The North Yorkshire town is the place to head for a nice cup of tea and a rousing chorus of Jerusalem.”

North Yorkshire county councillor David Jeffels, a former mayor of Scarborough, called the news a “feather in the cap” for the area.

He said: “Scarborough is Britain’s oldest seaside resort, having been in the holiday business for more than 350 years.

“While it has retained its character, its traditional shops and buildings, it has not been left behind in terms of modernisation.

“There is currently more than £350m worth of developments taking place in the district.”