Holiday In The UK
29 May 2007
Beach-award winner Eastbourne is encouraging Brits to go green - by holidaying in the UK.
Eastbourne is so proud of its award winning beaches that it is challenging people to avoid overseas air travel and instead take a holiday in Eastbourne.
Eastbourne's Pier to Wish Tower stretch of beach has scooped an international Blue Flag award for having clean sands, good facilities and excellent sea water and Holywell beach (pictured) has a Quality Coast Award for being clean and an ideal place to get away from it all.
Eastbourne's posters are appearing in London Underground stations, Birmingham New Street railway station and the Bull Ring shopping centre and show visitors cycling, chatting over lunch and walking with the straplines 'Re:cycling,' 'Greenhouse gas' and 'Green Peace'.
Both the Blue Flag and Quality Coast Award schemes are managed by ENCAMS. Winning beaches are checked regularly to ensure they maintain the high standards required to win an award.
Blue Flags are awarded to beaches across the world including those in New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, Spain and Greece. They all have to meet the same strict 28 criteria meaning Blue Flag beaches in this country are as good as those across the globe.
Quality Coast Awards are given to clean beaches in England and the web site www.qualitycoast.org directs people to the best award winning beach for their needs - whether it's an ideal location for watersports, great for a walk and a picnic, building sandcastles with the children or a spot of coastal isolation.
There are currently 73 Quality Coast Award and 85 Blue Flag beaches in England.