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Scarborough mourns loss of businesswoman - SIGN OUR BOOK OF CONDOLENCE
A BUSINESSWOMAN who was "at the heart of the Scarborough community" has died.
Mavis Clayton ran Claytons fish and chip cafe and tearoom in West Sandgate for nearly 50 years.
She died unexpectedly at her Scarborough home.
Mrs Clayton, who was in her 70s, was also the former president of Scarborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce and a member of Eastborough Traders Association, the YMCA committee, the Scarborough Business Alliance Group and the South Bay Traders.
Before opening the fish and chip shop in West Sandgate, Mrs Clayton helped her late husband Albert run an arcade in Foreshore Road which was later run by her son Howard, before it was sold to James Corrigan in 1996.
Her husband died in 1966 and since then Mrs Clayton has ran and worked at the fish and chip shop and tearoom.
She leaves daughters Heather and Janet, son Howard, eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Janet said: "Mum was so well known in the town, mainly through working at Claytons. She loved it there and it meant so much to her.
"She still worked there up until she died, she was behind the till just last week. Customers have been asking about her and even holidaymakers knew her."
Mrs Clayton was the vice chairman of the Sports Council in Scarborough for 30 years.
She also organised an annual marathon which went all the way along the A64 past Staxton and Muston, and carnival in the town which attracted runners from the USA, Holland and Belgium.
The carnival parade boasted a procession of 70 floats with participants coming from across the north of England.
She was recently nominated in the Borough's Big Thank You Awards for her services to sports development in Scarborough.
Heather added: "She did so much for the Scarborough community and that is why she was much loved.
"She has been a widow since dad died. When he passed away she devoted her life to her family and of course Scarborough."
Cllr Janet Jefferson who worked alongside Mrs Clayton with the Scarborough Chamber of Trade, said: "Mavis was at the heart of the Scarborough community. She was a great ambassador for the town.
"I have known her for 25 years and she was a dear friend. She was a figure we all respected and she will be sadly missed in Scarborough."
Graham North, chairman of the Scarborough Forum for Tourism, said: "Mavis was a long-time staunch supporter of the Forum for Tourism.
"I would always listen to what she had to say and will always remember how approachable she was. Scarborough has lost one of its greatest supporters."
* Did you know Mavis Clayton? You can leave your own tribute to her on our website. Just log on to www. scarborougheveningnews.co.uk, look for this story, and leave your comments below.
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Weather for Scarborough
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
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Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
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