TEIGNMOUTH and Dawlish Warren are among 36 South West beaches who will be flying Blue Flags with pride this summer.
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has today, Friday, announced the winners of the prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for summer 2022.
In total, 56 beaches across the South West have been presented with an award recognising the quality of the beach, the way it is managed and the facilities it offers to visitors.
The Blue Flag is an international award.
This year, 36 beaches across the region have met the high standard required, including two – Sandbanks in Poole and Oddicombe in Torbay – which have received one every year since the scheme was launched 35 years ago.
Three others – Avon Beach, Highcliffe Beach and Friars Cliff in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area – achieved the accolade for the first time.
Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: ‘The success of these beaches in reaching the very high standards demanded is testament to all those who have worked so hard to protect and improve our blue spaces – from beach managers and volunteers to local residents and businesses. The huge commitment needed to maintain marvellous beaches worthy of these awards cannot be underestimated.
‘People who visit a beach flying a Blue Flag or Seaside Award can be assured the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as international bathing water quality standards.’
The Blue Flag and Seaside Awards are aimed at improving the quality of England’s coastline 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 well-managed beaches with excellent water quality and environmental education programmes, 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
The full list of beaches achieving the standard are:
Blackpool Sands - Blackpool Sands (Devon) Utilities Co Ltd
Poole, Shore Road - BCP Council
Poole, Sandbanks - BCP Council
Avon Beach - BCP Council
Highcliffe Beach - BCP Council
Friars Cliff - BCP Council
Poole, Canford Cliffs - BCP Council
Poole, Branksome Chine - BCP Council
Alum Chine - BCP Council
Bournemouth Manor Steps - BCP Council
Durley Chine - BCP Council
Fisherman’s Walk - BCP Council
Southbourne - BCP Council
Carbis Bay - Carbis Bay Hotel
Crooklets - Cornwall Council
Gyllyngvase - Cornwall Council
Porthminster - Cornwall Council
Porthmeor - Cornwall Council
Polzeath - Cornwall Council
Porthtowan - Cornwall Council
Trevone Bay - Cornwall Council
Widemouth Bay - Cornwall Council
Exmouth - East Devon District Council
Seaton - East Devon District Council
Sidmouth Town - East Devon District Council
Swanage Central - Swanage Town Council
Dawlish Warren - Teignbridge District Council
Teignmouth Town - Teignbridge District Council
Breakwater Beach - Torbay Council
Broadsands - Torbay Council
Meadfoot Beach - Torbay Council
Preston Sands - Torbay Council
Oddicombe - Torbay Council
Torre Abbey Sands - Torbay Council
Westward Ho! - Torridge District Council
Weymouth Central - Weymouth Town Council
And 54 beaches in the region were awarded the Seaside Award, including 34 of the Blue Flag holders. They are:
Bournemouth Pier - BCP Council
Boscombe Pier - BCP Council
Alum Chine - BCP Council
Bournemouth Manor Steps - BCP Council
Durley Chine - BCP Council
Southbourne - BCP Council
Fishermans Walk - BCP Council
Branksome Chine - BCP Council
Canford Cliffs - BCP Council
Shore Road - BCP Council
Sandbanks - BCP Council
Avon Beach - BCP Council
Friars Cliff Beach - BCP Council
Highcliffe Beach - BCP Council
Blackpool Sands - Blackpool Sands (Devon) Utilities Co Ltd
Sandy Bay - Bourne Leisure Ltd
Carbis Bay - Carbis Bay Hotel
Crackington Haven - Cornwall Council
Gyllyngvase - Cornwall Council
Great Western - Cornwall Council
Perranporth - Cornwall Council
Polzeath - Cornwall Council
Porth - Cornwall Council
Porthtowan - Cornwall Council
Porthmeor - Cornwall Council
Porthminster - Cornwall Council
Portreath - Cornwall Council
Sennan Cove - Cornwall Council
Trevone Bay - Cornwall Council
Widemouth Bay - Cornwall Council
Crooklets - Cornwall Council
Summerleaze - Cornwall Council
Exmouth - East Devon District Council
Seaton (Devon) - East Devon District Council
Sidmouth Town - East Devon District Council
Beer - East Devon District Council
Budleigh Salterton - East Devon District Council
Croyde Bay - Ruda Holiday Park / Parkdean Holidays
Coryton Cove - Teignbridge District Council
Dawlish Town - Teignbridge District Council
Ness Cove - Teignbridge District Council
Swanage Central - Swanage Town Council
Breakwater Beach - Torbay Council
Broadsands Beach - Torbay Council
Meadfoot Beach - Torbay Council
Oddicombe Beach - Torbay Council
Maidencombe Beach - Torbay Council
Goodrington Beach - Torbay Council
Paignton Beach - Torbay Council
Preston Sands - Torbay Council
Torre Abbey Sands - Torbay Council
Ansteys Cove - Torbay Council
Westward Ho! - Torridge District Council
Weymouth Central - Weymouth Town Council