09 February 2012
Visitors to Eastbourne could soon enjoy horse drawn carriage rides along the seafront extending the wide range of attractions available at the south coast destination.
This week Eastbourne Borough Council’s Cabinet gave the green light for proposals to allow horse drawn carriage rides along a fixed seafront route, subject to further conditions being agreed.
The route will start and finish opposite the Cumberland Hotel on Grand Parade, taking in a round journey travelling west along the seafront into Wilmington Square, Terminus Road and Burlington Road.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism and Leisure, Cllr Neil Stanley said “We are very excited by proposals for horse drawn carriage rides in Eastbourne offering another way for visitors to enjoy our beautiful seafront. With our Dotto Train already offering a great way to travel the whole of the seafront and quadricycles offering a fun way to explore the eastern promenade into the harbour, the horse drawn carriage rides will extend the options available to visitors when it comes to making the most of our seafront.
“We are always looking for new ways to improve our tourism offer in Eastbourne and boost the wide range of attractions and events already available. I hope this latest addition will be welcomed by our millions of visitors each year.”
Following a successful trial last November, it is hoped the horse drawn carriage rides will be in operation later this summer once further permissions and byelaws have been agreed.
They will operate from May to October each year from 11am – 7pm each day offering a fun way for visitors to travel along the western seafront.
With the development of a new Seafront Strategy currently taking place and with a packed programme of seafront events coming up in 2012, including a busy Bandstand concert calendar and the 20th anniversary of Eastbourne Airbourne, the new horse drawn carriages will complement the diverse range of attractions available on this part of the seafront.
