The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway is up for a national award and they are looking for your votes to help them secure the 2025 Bucket and Spade top seaside experiences. The awards are voted for by the public with a shortlist announced of seaside favourites across the British Isles vying for your vote.
The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway needs little introduction to readers of this website with it having run up and down Douglas Promenade for very nearly 149 years having opened in 1876. Its one of the last surviving horse tramways anywhere in the world and is the only place you can enjoy a ride on a tram behind a horse anywhere in the British Isles at the present time.
It’s a tramway which has been in the news a lot in recent years following the (supposedly) temporary suspension of services from the Villa Marina to the Sea Terminal at the end of 2018 to allow Prom redevelopment works. Although permission to re-extend it back to the Sea Terminal has been given on multiple occasions there is a current lack of progress on this with various debates in Tynwald seemingly not coming up with a positive outcome. 2026 will see the tramway mark its 150th anniversary – and unless something remarkable happens that will only see trams running on its truncated route.
But enough of that as now is your chance to show the British Isles how much of a valued part of the Isle of Man tourist offering it is by voting for it in the awards. Votes can be registered at https://bit.ly/bucketspade2025vote.
The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway is up against the Central Tramway Scarborough, Deal Pier, lemon Top ice cream Redcar, Jolly Fisherman Poster Skegness, Plaza Cinema Weston super Mare, Stonehaven Open Air Pool, Wells-next-the-Sea beach huts, Hove Lagoon, Super Snails Joyland Great Yarmouth. Details of all nominees can be found at https://seasideheritage.org.uk/bucket-spade-list/vote-for-2025-winners/.
Please vote, you never know this award might just sway the “thinking” of Tynwald, and force The DOI into action!!!