For Mark Ineson, owner of Real Donkeys, that tradition is more than just a business – it’s a lifelong passion, as he tells Lancashire Life magazine. As one of just three remaining licensed operators in Blackpool, he’s spent decades keeping the spirit of the town’s donkey rides alive, while championing the highest standards of animal welfare.
Mark’s connection to the donkeys began long before he owned any. ‘My love of donkeys started when I was six,’ he says. ‘My family came to Blackpool every year and in the mornings after breakfast my grandad would take me across the road and I would spend all day, every day on the beach with the donkeys.
‘My parents would bring their deckchairs down later. I just loved everything about being on the beach – the smell of the donkeys and their leather harnesses; even their footprints in the wet sand; the salty sea breezes and the ice-cream van nearby. It was a different time then and at the end of the day when it was time to return to the stables the owners would let me ride on one of the donkey’s back and drop me off at the hotel.’
Alfie and mischevious Trooper Mark’s love of donkeys never waned and in his teenage years he commuted at weekends and in the holidays from his hometown in Yorkshire to help the owners who he had got to know him as a youngster. ‘At the age of 18, on a day trip, I found that a pitch on the beach and six donkeys that were up for sale. I’d started a job in Yorkshire and after thinking of all the excuses as to why I shouldn’t buy the pitch, I was persuaded by the family that I had helped over the years and with their support I took the plunge. This year I celebrate 30 years in the business.’
Today, Mark owns 20 donkeys, each with their own personality. He knows them inside out – from their quirks and habits to their likes and dislikes. ‘Donkeys are very intelligent,’ he says. ‘We have a few mischievous ones like Trooper and Tyson who will happily stick their noses in people’s bags and quiet ones like Beauty who came to me as a rescue and took some time to learn trust but has now come out of her shell.
Each donkey has its own backstory. ‘We had one little white donkey, Sally, who would suddenly head off towards the ice cream van and, ignoring the queue, poke her head through the opening and make a loud donkey noise. She would be given a cone and then trot back with ice cream round her mouth, much to the amusement of onlookers! We even had a donkey Karl, now retired, that worked out how to open the stable door and let the other donkeys out! It took me a while to work out what was happening.’
Each donkey has its own backstory When they’re not delighting kids on the sand, Mark’s donkeys are out and about bringing smiles to people elsewhere – from carnivals and corporate functions to garden centres, schools and care homes. ‘We’ve attended weddings, christenings and even funerals. We really mould to the customers’ needs,’ Mark says. ‘Donkeys are very sensitive and the visits to care homes are often stimulating for the residents. Those with dementia can often relate to a time when they had animals, and our visit gets them talking. We also visit schools – often they are inner city schools where the children have never seen a donkey so it’s very rewarding.’
Come December, the donkeys get festive. ‘Christmas is a busy time for us with our donkeys appearing in many school nativities and at Christmas markets where we deck the donkeys out with tinsel and bells’.
Their welfare is paramount. ‘We operate under a licence and in May we spruce the donkeys up for the season with haircuts, shampooing, trimming hooves and checking teeth. They are then checked by Council Enforcement Officers – a bit like an MOT, and standards of welfare are checked again regularly,’ explains Mark.
The quiet one, Beauty ‘Licensing rules stipulate that only children under 14 years or under eight stone can ride. Our donkeys are always led at a steady pace, and we take time with children who may be nervous. Mostly, children overcome nerves and come back with a big smile on their faces which is amazing.’
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During the summer season, the donkeys enjoy a well-earned day off every Friday, and come winter, they’re moved to local farms and small holdings for a proper break. When it’s time to retire, they’re rehomed to sanctuaries – because, to Mark, they’re family.
His donkeys are as much a part of Blackpool as the Tower or a 99 with a flake, and they still get the same smiles they did all those years ago. ”We have grandparents who once brought their children to us and now they bring their grandchildren. It’s great to keep in touch and know that the tradition is being passed down through the generations.’
It’s hard to imagine Blackpool beaches without these diligent little donkeys, thanks to Mark, we don’t have to.
