England’s cleanest beaches for 2019 have been revealed with Brighton and Whitby among those making the list.
This year, a total of 71 beaches have been awarded Blue Flag status – up from 65 last year.
The Blue Flag is a guarantee to visitors that the beach has excellent facilities, is litter free and has achieved a high standard of water quality.
A view of the promenade, beach and pier in Cromer in Norfolk, which has managed to retain its Blue Flag status
Whitby beach, pictured, is the only beach in Yorkshire to be awarded a Blue Flag in 2019. The Blue Flag is a guarantee to visitors that the beach has excellent facilities, is litter free and has achieved a high standard of water quality
And Blue Flags are only given to beaches whose local authority has promised to run a minimum of five educational activities for the local community and visitors to make people aware of the importance of looking after the natural environment.
This year’s results were announced today by Keep Britain Tidy, which administers the Blue Flag scheme in England, and the winners will be presented with their flags at a ceremony in Margate.
One well-known beach that has retained its Blue Flag is Cromer in Norfolk. The beach is in a traditional Victorian seaside resort, which also boasts a pier and the Pavillion Theatre.
Another is Thorpe Bay in Southend-on-Sea, which is popular with kite surfers and jet skiiers and is less than a mile from Southend Pier.
Tynemouth Longsands on North Tyneside, also a recipient, boasts golden sands that stretch for over a mile as well as rocks, dunes and cliffs.
Margate in Kent is best known for its classic amusements as well as its golden sands.
West Wittering beach in Sussex is an open stretch of sand overlooking the Solent that is set in a designated Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Sandbanks beach in Dorset retains its Blue Flag for the 32nd year in a row. It has been a Blue Flag beach ever since the scheme started in England in 1987.
Several beaches in the Poole area won Blue Flags. These include Sandbanks, pictured, Shore Road, Canford Cliffs, and Branksome Chine
Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton, said: ‘Visiting beaches with the Blue Flag or Seaside Award status means beach-goers can feel more relaxed in a setting that is environmentally considerate.’ Pictured is Porthtowan beach in Cornwall, which has Blue Flag status
Cleethorpes Central beach, pictured, has claimed a Blue Flag for 2019, after missing out on the accolade last year
There are 32 Blue Flag beaches in the south west England region, including Dawlish Warren, pictured, in Devon
While in Devon, Westward Ho! keeps its Blue Flag for the 16th year running.
Well-known Brighton beach, with its long pebbly shoreline, also makes the list again.
As does Skegness, one of the most popular beaches for tourists in Lincolnshire.
Porthtowan beach in Cornwall has soft golden sand and is backed by large dunes and dramatic cliffs – helping it to retain its Blue Flag.
Nine beaches were awarded Blue Flags this year after missing out on the accolade last year.
These include Cleethorpes Beach, which is famous for its donkey rides, and Westbrook Bay in Kent, which is close to Margate beach.
A lifeguard watches over Sea Palling beach in Norfolk. Six beaches in Norfolk have been awarded Blue Flags for 2019
Families walk along Saltburn Pier at Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire. It is the last remaining pier in the whole of Yorkshire
Botany Bay beach near Margate is one of 10 beaches in the county of Kent to win a Blue Flag for 2019
Blue Flag status Margate beach in Kent is best known for its classic amusements as well as its golden sands
Bournemouth Manor Steps has 15 new seafront lodges along its shoreline and is known as one of the quieter beaches in the Bournemouth area.
Exmouth Beach, popular with surfers, has two miles of sand and also boasts fascinating rock pools.
Croyde Bay, known for its spectacular North Devon scenery, is a Blue Flag holder once again after losing the status in 2012.
In South Devon, Teignmouth Town beach stretches down from the mouth of the River Teign along the red cliffs, while Broadsands is a sandy beach dotted with rock pools. Both achieved Blue Flags this year.
They join Preston Sands, with its colourful beach huts, and Torre Abbey Sands, also in South Devon, in being able to fly the flag for 2019.
Skegness Central Beach, pictured, has retained its Blue Flag status for another year along with four other beaches in the East Midlands region
Blue Flag beaches have to run a minimum of five educational activities for the local community and visitors to make people aware of the importance of looking after the natural environment. Pictured is Blue Flag status beach West Wittering
Swanage beach in Dorset has achieved Blue Flag status for another year. This year’s results were announced by Keep Britain Tidy, which administers the Blue Flag scheme in England
One of the most well-known beaches to lose its Blue Flag status this year is Blackpool South. Others that lost their flag this year include Southwold Pier in Suffolk, Leysdown Beach off the Isle of Sheppey and Polzeath Beach in Cornwall.
In addition, 137 beaches across the country were also given Seaside Awards, which recognise the highest standards of beach management and, in the case of bathing beaches, indicate that they meet the required standards for water quality.
Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton, said: ‘Visiting beaches with the Blue Flag or Seaside Award status means beach-goers can feel more relaxed in a setting that is environmentally considerate.
‘We’re incredibly pleased to have even more winners this year than last, proving the great dedication of the beach staff.
Tynemouth Longsands was one of six beaches in the north east to get Blue Flag status. The others included King Edward’s Bay, Whitley Bay, Roker, Seaburn and Saltburn by the Sea
Westward Ho beach, pictured, in North Devon has been awarded a Blue Flag for the 16th year in a row
Three wooden fishing boats line up on the sand of Durley Chine beach in Bournemouth, Dorset – another Blue Flag-winning beach
Westbrook Bay in Kent, pictured, which is close to Margate beach, has been awarded a Blue Flag for 2019 after failing to make the grade last year
Dog walkers underneath a dramatic sky at sunrise on Whitley Bay beach, in North Tyneside. The beach is at the southern end of an expanse of golden sand with rocky outcrops that stretches for two miles
A view of the sandy beach at King Edward’s Bay near Tynemouth. The beach is believed to have been named after Edward II
‘From environmental education for the local community and ensuring responsible beach use, to cleaning regimes and an increasing number of recycling facilities, it is a full-time commitment to create beaches worthy of the awards.
‘Thanks to the Blue Flag, visitors can be reassured their destination is cared for and they will be able to help maintain the high standards of these awards thanks to their environmental initiatives.’
Meanwhile research from Keep Keep Britain Tidy has revealed that 74 per cent of those under the age of 35 say they are ‘triggered’ with guilt when they go to the beach and see plastic litter.
Almost two thirds (60 per cent) experience eco-anxiety when seeing tourist destinations littered with plastic and no sustainable facilities to dispose of it, the study showed.
Croyde Bay in Devon, pictured, is one of the beaches achieving Blue Flag status for 2019 after failing to meet the criteria for the award last year
Research from Keep Britain Tidy has shown that Brits are a generation of eco-worriers, with 80 per cent saying they would feel more relaxed spending the day at a beach that has recycling bins. Pictured is Mablethorpe beach
Research from Keep Keep Britain Tidy has revealed that 74 per cent of those under the age of 35 say they are ‘triggered’ with guilt when they go to the beach and see plastic litter. The picture shows Sea Palling Beach – a Blue Flag recipient
According to Keep Britain Tidy the newly dubbed ‘Attenborough Effect’ is contributing to cleaner public spaces, with more than half (54 per cent) of people saying the nature documentaries fronted by Sir David Attenborough have encouraged them to personally clear up discarded litter. Pictured is Brighton’s Blue Flag beach
And Keep Britain Tidy says the newly dubbed ‘Attenborough Effect’ is contributing to cleaner public spaces, with more than half (54 per cent) of people saying the nature documentaries fronted by Sir David Attenborough have encouraged them to personally clear up discarded litter.
The research also shows that Brits are a generation of eco-worriers, with 80 per cent saying they would feel more relaxed spending the day at a beach that has recycling bins and signs encouraging people not to leave anything behind.
A huge 88 per cent of all respondents said that their eco-anxiety is lessened by knowing hundreds of beaches in the UK are following and implementing programmes that encourage responsible beach use.