Vote Now: Help South Shields' Marine Parks Win a National Seaside Award

The public vote is now open, and South Shields has a fortnight left to rally behind two of its most-loved green spaces. Residents can cast a vote to put the North and South Marine Parks on the Seaside Heritage Network's 2026 Bucket and Spade List, and voting closes on Monday 1 September 2026.

Back in July the two parks were shortlisted for the national list, which celebrates Britain's best historic seaside places. That was the nomination; this is the decision. The final selection is settled by a public vote, so whether the Marine Parks make the cut now rests on how many people take a minute to back them, and a strong local turnout would speak volumes.

Why the parks deserve it

The North and South Marine Parks are among the finest surviving examples of Victorian seaside landscaping in the North East. South Marine Park opened in June 1890, laid out on former ballast hills above the coast with a promenading terrace, ornamental gardens, a waterfall and a boating lake. The neighbouring North Marine Park shares the same late-Victorian origins, part of the town's ambition to give its residents proper public parks by the sea.

More than 130 years on, both remain at the heart of life in South Shields. The South Marine Park still draws families to its boating lake and the Lakeshore Railroad, the little steam railway that has run in season since 1972, while its play areas, formal gardens and open green space keep it busy in every kind of weather. Their survival owes much to restoration work and the efforts of local volunteers over the years.

Best for:

The Bucket and Spade List is run by the Seaside Heritage Network, a charity dedicated to connecting and celebrating Britain's seaside heritage. Its annual list highlights historic coastal places chosen with the help of a public vote, and the 2026 vote is open until 1 September 2026.

How to vote

Voting takes less than a minute and costs nothing. Head to the Seaside Heritage Network's vote page, where the full 2026 shortlist is set out and you can pick the North and South Marine Parks. The window closes on Monday 1 September 2026, so it is worth doing sooner rather than later, and sharing with anyone who has ever walked the terraces or fed the swans on the lake.

"Voting is now open for the 2026 Bucket and Spade top seaside experiences," the Seaside Heritage Network says. For South Shields, a good showing would be a fitting tribute to two parks that have been part of the town for well over a century.

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