72 of the country's best beaches will proudly fly a Blue Flag this summer

Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has today announced the winners of the prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for summer 2024. 

 

In total 150 sites – made up of 148 beaches, along with a marina and an inland bathing water - in England have been presented with awards recognising the quality of the sites, the way they are managed and the facilities they offer to visitors. 

 

72 beaches across the country met the high standards required for a Blue Flag award - the world’s most recognised award for beaches, marinas and inland bathing waters. 

 

The Blue Flag was also achieved by the Royal Albert Dock and Salthouse Dock in Liverpool and Rutland Water in Oakham, East Midlands, which is the first inland water to achieve a Blue Flag, alongside a Seaside Award.  

 

Two beaches - Sandbanks in Poole and Oddicombe in Torbay, Devon - have scooped the Blue Flag award every year since it was launched 37 years ago. 

 

In order to qualify, each applicant must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria. 

 

A further 136 beaches - six of which are newcomers - are proudly displaying Seaside Awards and this includes 60 that have achieved both Blue Flag and Seaside Awards. 

 

First-time Seaside Award winners this year are: 

• Bexhill on Sea – Rother District Council 

• Camber Sands - Rother District Council 

• Normans Bay - Rother District Council 

• Winchelsea - Rother District Council 

• Louisa Bay – Thanet District Council 

• Walpole Bay – Thanet District Council 

 

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “It’s wonderful to see the flags flying proudly over these 150 fantastic beaches that are a real asset to both residents and from visitors across the country. 

 

“Blue Flag locations are free for all to enjoy, with visitors able to experience the same quality as destinations like Spain or Trinidad and Tobago without the environmental impact - or price tag - of flying. 

 

“Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.” 

 

“The awards are a credit to the collective efforts of beach and site managers, volunteers, residents and businesses who have worked tirelessly to maintain, protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular blue spaces and we’d like to take this moment to recognise and applaud them. 

 

“We should not underestimate the huge commitment needed to make these marvellous beaches worthy of these awards, and it is impressive that we have seen an increase in sites achieving the Seaside Award this year, as well as our first inland bathing water achieving both awards – congratulations to all involved.” 

 

The Blue Flag and Seaside Awards are aimed at improving the quality of England’s coastline and blue spaces and promoting the country’s best beaches. 

 

Blue Flag is an international award managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education. It is only presented to beaches, marinas and inland bathing waters with bathing water which has achieved the highest classification as set by the EU Bathing Water Directive and has an environmental education programme, while Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline. 

 

Among the criteria beaches are assessed against are: 

 

• Safety and services, such as first aid, lifeguards where necessary 

• Environmental information, including displaying details about local eco systems 

• Water quality – Blue Flag beaches must meet the ‘excellent’ water quality standard as set out in the EU bathing water directive and Seaside Award winners must meet the 'sufficient’ standard.  

• Environmental management, including litter and waste