The Fossil Shop – Who are we? And why should you care?


The Fossil Shop is Scarborough’s only dedicated shop for fossils, crystals and mineral specimens. Located on Eastborough it sits proudly on the walk down from the town centre onto the foreshore road of Scarborough’s south bay.
Who Are We?
The Fossil Shop itself opened in October 2020 however it belongs to Hidden Horizons Ltd which has been active in the Scarborough area and Yorkshire coast for the past 9 years.  The company started out by offering family orientated guided fossil hunting and geology sessions as well as conducting consultancy work for museums. Over the years other activities have been tried and tested and we happy to now offer Stargazing at Dalby Forest, Seashore Explore sessions on the south bay, and a range of other outdoor sessions… As well as activities out of school time the company works with various schools in the area on a frequent basis delivering after school sessions with a natural science theme.
The team behind the shop consists of two main members of staff and two weekend staff:
Will – Owner & Buyer
Graduated from Leeds University in 1999 with a BSc in Geological Sciences. He went on to have a successful career in museums ending up at the Rotunda in Scarborough. In 2013 he set up Hidden Horizons, and went on to acquire GeoEd Ltd.
As well as overseeing the multiple arms to the business, Will is also a proud volunteer crew member on the Scarborough Lifeboat.
Mike – Online/Shop Manager
Graduated from Hull University's Scarborough campus in 2014 with a BSc in Ecology. Since then he has run multiple events for Hidden Horizons including roped tree climbing. He comes as a duo as his Border Terrier "Percy" is always close by.
As well as managing the day to day running of the website and shop, Mike runs a small photography business - MJan Photography
Anna & Freya
The weekend/holiday members of the team are currently students at the local college, both studying Geology. The next few months will likely be their last as they move on to University - we are very excited for them!
     Why should you care?
    At its core Hidden Horizons revolves around some fundamental values:
    • Engaging
    • Fun
    • Education
    • Family Friendly
    • Accessible
    These values are evident when you visit The Fossil Shop as we pride ourselves on our willingness to engage and educate with customers where possible. For example, we encourage the safe handling of specimens by people of all ages and are always happy to talk about the vast range of fossils we have available for sale from the Yorkshire Coast and all around the world.
    The shop has become a resource for younger fossil collectors, we often joke that we are part shop and part museum; and collectors of all ages can take advantage of out free "Fossil Roadshow" events where they book a slot with our palaeontologist (Dr Liam Heringshaw) and/or Will. These session are provided so that people can bring in their finds and learn about what they are.
    Summed up, if you like fossils, minerals or crystals and want to have a friendly, engaging business to support - you should care! Come by the shop or check out our online store. We look forward to hearing from you either way!