Top Ten Winners 2026

Herne Bay’s first pier opened in 1832 but the story since has been one of replacement and reinvention. After the railway took passenger traffic off the water, a new pier was built for promenading in 1873. This was superseded by the second longest pier in Britain, completed in 1899, the head of which survives marooned in the sea after storms destroyed the neck in 1978.

The future looked bleak until the Herne Bay Pier Trust stepped in to create a pier the local community can be proud of. According to Trustee Sue Halfpenny ‘over the last 14 years the space has been transformed into an iconic venue for the people of Herne Bay and visitors from all over the world. It is now a thriving hub for the whole family with a vibrant shopping village and food court, fun fair attractions and live music events throughout the summer.’

Voters said:

I love the pier as there are so many places to eat and drink. If you have children with you there are plenty of things for them to do. Always see people crabbing off the side. They have dog shows too and music shows through the summer weekends. It’s so versatile and just a really enjoyable place to be.

Fantastic variety of activities for all ages. The Pier Volunteers are a credit to the community.

Lyn Blake, Chair of Herne Bay Pier Trust, said: 

Herne Bay Pier is hugely grateful to the Seaside Heritage Network for organising the Bucket and Spade Award.  I can’t put into words what it actually means to have won a public vote against such strong competition. We are a small charity run by volunteers and reading the comments from those who voted has been heartwarming, it’s why we all do what we do.  Thank you to everyone who voted for us and thanks to Canterbury City Council, who own the pier, to all our trustees, our volunteer stewards and our amazing Hutters who run businesses from Beach Huts on, what is for a lot of the year, a wet and windy place to work.  They all together make Herne Bay Pier a thriving community that we are immensely proud of.

North and South Marine Parks are at the heart of South Shields’ seafront – a unique blend of heritage, recreation and coastal beauty. Created in the late Victorian era on reclaimed land, they have served generations for over 130 years. South Marine Park offers classic seaside charm with its boating lake, miniature railway and restored bandstand, while North Marine Park provides a more tranquil escape with woodland walks and sweeping views across the Tyne and North Sea. Together, they form a continuous coastal space where history, community and leisure come together, making them a much-loved destination for residents and visitors alike.

Voters said:

It has everything! Miniature train, lake with boats, play area, cafe, beautiful gardens. The beach is over the road as well as a traditional fairground. Lots of events, music, fun and family-friendly.

 The parks are beautifully maintained and a stones throw from our lovely beach.

Cllr Karen Pittuck, Lead Member for Highways, Neighbourhoods and Community Safety at South Tyneside Council, said:

We are incredibly proud to see North and South Marine Parks recognised in the Bucket and Spade List. These much-loved parks have played an important role in the life of our seaside town for generations, bringing together heritage, nature and recreation in a truly special setting. This recognition reflects not only the beauty and history of the parks, but also the affection residents and visitors have for them.

We would like to thank everyone who supported the nomination, shared their memories and helped to showcase and celebrate these special spaces. To be recognised as one of the country's top seaside heritage destinations is a fantastic accolade for South Tyneside and further reinforces the significance of these parks to the character and identity of our coastline.

Wemyss Bay Station, designed in 1903 for the Caledonian Railway, is remarkable in its use of glass and steel curves. It is a building that is both beautiful and practical, with its spectacular concourse and spacious pier designed to accommodate the Edwardian crowds heading to Rothesay on the Island of Bute for their seaside holidays.

Today the station is at the heart of the community in Wemyss Bay, with its homely café, friendly bar and a bookshop run by volunteers who tend the station’s flowers. The station won the 2023 World Cup of Stations, organised by the Rail Delivery Group.

Voters said:

 Thousands of folk every Glasgow and Greenock summer holidays went doon the water. Wemyss Bay was the start of the holidays.

 A fascinating and beautifully preserved reminder of the heyday of mass travel to the seaside - now an integral part of its local community.

Friends of Wemyss Bay Station said:

We are pleased that the station was among the top favourites.  We hope that this brings our magnificent station to wider attention and encourages more people to visit Wemyss Bay.

Built out from the rocky base of Plymouth’s famous Hoe, Tinside Lido boasts a spectacular location within the UK’s first National Marine Park. Now in its 90th year, this listed Art Deco gem was saved from dereliction by a committed group of local campaigners who secured funding from Plymouth City Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund for restoration in 2003 and more recently in 2025.

The restored 1935 saltwater pool offers a range of outdoor swimming options, and the revitalised site now also includes a year-round event space, sun terrace, café, conference facilities, meeting rooms and spaces for youth activities, digital learning and community events. Tinside also hosts wellbeing sessions, live music, weddings, celebrations, outdoor cinema screenings and seasonal events, creating a destination where recreation, learning and community come together against the backdrop of Plymouth Sound.

Voters said:

The best view with the most caring staff and chatty regulars. This lido is the most welcoming I’ve ever been to with an amazing historical value. Most people I’ve talked to here have grown up coming to this place and come everyday in the summer, it’s just a shame it’s not open all year round !!

Hands up who’s sat on a Weymouth deckchair, taken in the magnificent sea views, polished off an ice-cream, done a spot of people watching, or dozed off to the sounds of the waves gently lapping the shore?

For decades, deckchairs have offered the perfect place to perch, feel the warmth of the sun on your face, and watch the seagulls swoop.

There's even a giant deckchair perfect for those seaside selfies. 'I'm blown away that our deckchairs have been nominated for the Bucket and Spade List,’ says Cllr Ryan Hope, Chair of Environment and Services Committee, 'they provide an opportunity to take time out from the busy world we live in, and are a timeless pleasure.'

Voters said:

Sitting on the prom, in a traditional deck chair, looking at the perfect sandy beach, eating an ice cream, is quintessential British seaside.

This season ‘The World’s Oldest Operating Electric Railway’ runs its daily service along Brighton’s eastern seafront, as it has been doing since August 1883. The oldest passenger car dates from 1892 and the newest from 1926.

One mile long, the Volks Electric Railway conveys travellers from the Aquarium to Black Rock/Marina, passing the City’s new outdoor swimming pool, cafes, restaurants and other attractions. It is owned by Brighton & Hove City Council with the line supported by the Volk’s Electric Railway Association.

Voters said:

It is living history and enormously enjoyable too. I have been thrilled by the Volk's Electric Railway for 70 years since my parents took me on it as a 7 year old boy and I still find it exciting!

Discovered by chance in 1835, Margate’s subterranean Shell Grotto is now Grade-I listed. Arguably the most stunning and extensive shell mosaic in Britain, it ranks among the most intriguing and mysterious structures in the world. Hewn from chalk and decorated with 2000ft2 of mosaic, the 4.6 million shells of the Grotto appear to show familiar shapes, like suns, flowers and crops.

Some say it’s a Roman temple, there are those who think its medieval and others an 18th-century folly. As yet, no documents mentioning the Grotto prior to its discovery have been found, so nobody knows who made it, when or why. The mystery is part of the attraction!

Voters said:

Ideal activity whatever the weather, cool on hot days, dry in the rain.  Fascinating and mysterious to people of all ages, and plenty to occupy younger visitors.  Absolutely brilliant shop to browse for seaside related things too.

As anyone who knows Scarborough will attest, the Harbour Bar is something of a local institution, loved for its Knickerbocker Glories and fruit sundaes, its original hand-painted signs and 1950s décor. It opened on the first August Bank Holiday weekend after World War II and so desperate were holidaymakers for ice cream in 1945 that the Harbour Bar sold out within two hours!

Owner Guilian Alonzi is the third generation of his family to sell ice cream in Scarborough and still uses the basic recipe his grandfather brought from Italy to make fresh batches every day in the one-man factory behind the Harbour Bar. For many visitors, a trip to Scarborough is simply not complete without a taste of his prize-winning ice cream.

Voters said:

Absolutely essential part of any trip to Scarborough!

Aberystwyth Cliff Railway opened in 1896. At 778ft (237m) it is the longest funicular railway in Wales and the second longest in the UK. Originally operated on a water balance system, the Cliff Railway was converted to electricity in 1921. Moving at a leisurely 4 miles per hour it takes visitors from street level to the top of the cliff – an area known as Constitution Hill – to enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. There are a range of other things to do at the top including a restaurant and one of the biggest camera obscuras in the world. The railway is fully wheelchair accessible and more than 75,000 visitors ride it every year.

Voters said:

 Beautiful cliff railway, well kept, lovely volunteers and staff, glorious views.

During the 1920s Blackpool Colonnades were such an exciting seaside development that they appeared on railway posters advertising the resort. The first section of colonnade was built in 1910 and as the promenade was extended northwards the shelters got grander, providing three tiers of walkway above the beach.

Now a century old and grade II listed, a bid has been submitted to the Department for Transport for funds to help with their repair. As Cllr Jane Hugo, Deputy Leader of Blackpool Council, said: ‘Our famous colonnades are hugely important - they are part of our built heritage. Residents and visitors use the area to walk, stay active and enjoy life living on our beautiful coastline.’

Voters said:

It's a stunning example of 1920s art deco architecture and it is in need of support, love and care. It is long overdue some refurbishment and I'd love to see them be a place where people can sit, enjoy the sunsets and views over the sea.