Lancashire attractions named in top three favourite seaside places list

The Seaside Heritage Network is delighted to announce its inaugural Bucket and Spade List, the Top Ten favourite seaside places and experiences as voted for by members of the public.

1. Saltburn Cliff Tramway, Saltburn-by-the-Sea
2. Blackpool Tower
3. Morecambe Winter Gardens
4. Silcock’s Carousel, Southport
5. Donkey Rides, Weymouth
6. Papa’s Fish & Chips, Cleethorpes
7. South Cliff Gardens, Scarborough
8. Dreamland Margate
9. Bournemouth Beach Huts
10.Babbacombe Model Village

The Bucket and Spade List was announced in the superb seƫng of Blackpool Winter Gardens on 11 September when the top three finalists were awarded with cerificates by designer and seaside regeneration expert, Wayne Hemingway MBE.
Dr Kathryn Ferry, a founder member of the Seaside Heritage Network, said how important it was to see people and communities getting behind the vote: ‘There’s a strong nostalgic element to these finalists but that’s no bad thing, it shows how embedded the seaside holiday and seaside resorts are within our island culture. Too open, these towns get a bad press but it’s time to change perceptions and celebrate the joy and entertainment the seaside has brought to generations of Britons.

Embracing the power of seaside heritage to connect with people anew can help places that have been suffering social and economic problems. Morecambe Winter Gardens and Dreamland Margate are examples of the potentially transformative power of seaside heritage and we congratulate all of our worthy finalists –not least the donkeys!’
Here are some of the reasons voters gave for our lovely Lancashire attractions:

Blackpool Tower
‘It’s a true icon, ambitious, brash, showy and full of fun.’
‘It has many different activities for all types of visitors and hosts Strictly! Blackpool is open all year round…and the Tower provides entertainment, whatever the weather.’

Morecambe Winter Gardens
‘The winter gardens would be a fantastic venue for talent to shine in the future, helping the building to become self-sustaining and reward the extremely dedicated volunteers that have helped to save this magnificent theatre’

Carl Carrington, Head of Planning and Conservation at Blackpool Council said: ‘We’re delighted to have been nominated for an award and despite coming second, we’re really grateful to everyone who voted for Blackpool Tower. It’s great that the Seaside Heritage Network has been re-formed and is working to highlight how important our seaside heritage is to the cultural life and economies of seaside resorts and towns and we look forward to working closely with the Network in the future. Congratulations to Saltburn too!’

Professor Vanessa Toulmin, Chair of the Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust and Professor of Early Film and Popular Entertainment the University of Sheffield said: ‘The Morecambe Winter Gardens is delighted to be in the top three of the Bucket and Spade List and this is testament to both the love of Morecambe and also the amazing journey we have been on as a volunteer run organisation over the past three years. We are humbled to be on the same list as many of our great seaside attractions and thank everyone for voting for us – the seaside is an important part of our heritage and our future so let’s celebrate it.’