Brand new beach award announces first ever winners
Seventy three beaches across England have been given the thumbs up as top places to visit by receiving the first ever Quality Coast Awards.
Quality Coast Award is a brand new beach award which recognises the diversity and quality of England’s coastline.
For too long rural hideaways have been in the shadow of bigger seaside resorts, so this award sees the start of a celebration of all that our country’s coast has to offer.
Alan Woods, Chief Executive of ENCAMS which runs the Quality Coast Award said: “The traditional seaside experience of building sandcastles and snacking on ice cream is still favoured by many. But it is just one of the reasons why people go to the coast; others use the beach as a place to walk their dogs or get a breath of fresh air whatever the weather.
“The Quality Coast Award commends those beaches that can offer the best cleanliness, facilities and standards for the type of visitor their sandy stretch attracts.”
Included in the tally are 11 beaches in the Isle of Wight – the majority of the island’s beaches. There has also been significant success up north with six beaches in Yorkshire being commended as ideal coastal spots. Plus Sandy Bay in Devon and Cleethorpes Humberston Fitties beach in Lincolnshire, which have never been recognised by any beach award before, are amongst the winners.
Accompanying the awards is a new website www.qualitycoast.org. This is the first time beach lovers have been given the opportunity to choose the coastal destination which best suits their needs. By selecting whether they intend to go in the water, take their dog, require disabled facilities or parking nearby – the site then matches them to the most appropriate beach.
It’s not just the type of experience that Quality Coast Award recognises, but also the time of year people go and for how long. Gone are the days when people made their annual pilgrimage to the seaside for a week in summer. Now, people go all year round, for varying lengths of stay and for different reasons.
Every Quality Coast Award beach has to meet strict criteria including:
• Clean sands free of litter and dog fouling
• Consideration given to pedestrians’ safety on and around the beach
• Assessment on how many people the beach can hold at one time
• Good access to the coastal spot
• Any facilities must be clean and in good working order
Additionally coastal areas recommended on www.qualitycoast.org as a place to swim will have obtained guideline water quality. Beaches that are great for playing on will have an enforced dog ban. Those offering a good getaway from hustle and bustle must have a natural coastal environment free from man-made attractions and destinations ideal for a coastal walk need easy pedestrian access to the beach.
Added Alan: “People enjoying our shores are very discerning visitors: they know what they want, when and how. They told us what they need from their beaches and beach awards and we listened. I wish them a great deal of pleasure at these Quality Coast Award beaches.”
QUALITY COAST AWARD BEACHES
Recommended places for a bit of coastal isolation
North
South Landing East Yorkshire
Danes Dyke East Yorkshire
Barmston East Yorkshire
Wilsthorpe East Yorkshire
Skipsea East Yorkshire
Tunstall East Yorkshire
Cayton Bay Scarborough North Yorkshire
Runswick Bay Scarborough North Yorkshire
Sandsend Scarborough North Yorkshire
Robin Hoods Bay Scarborough North Yorkshire
Central
Cleethorpes Humberston Fitties Beach Lincolnshire
South
Springvale Isle of Wight
Cowes Isle of Wight
East Cowes Isle of Wight
Seagrove Isle of Wight
Totland Isle of Wight
Holywell Eastbourne East Sussex
Normans Bay East Sussex
Coryton Cove Dawlish Devon
Ness Cove Shaldon Devon
Thorpe Bay Southend on Sea Essex
The best beaches for taking a dip
North
Whitley Bay South North Tyneside
Tynemouth Longsands South North Tyneside
Tynemouth King Edwards Bay North Tyneside
Central
Central Beach, Mablethorpe Lincolnshire
Central Beach, Sutton on Sea Lincolnshire
Central Beach, Skegness Lincolnshire
Cleethorpes Central Lincolnshire
South
Tunnels Beaches Devon
Sandy Bay Devon
Westward Ho! Devon
Croyde Bay Devon
Swanage Central Dorset
Sandown Isle of Wight
Shanklin Isle of Wight
Ventnor Isle of Wight
Gurnard Isle of Wight
Ryde East Isle of Wight
Colwell Isle of Wight
Eastbourne Pier to Wish Tower East Sussex
Camber East Sussex
West Wittering Beach West Sussex
East Beach Shoeburyness Southend on Sea Essex
Shoebury Common Beach Southend on Sea Essex
Threes Shells Beach Southend on Sea Essex
Chalkwell Beach Southend on Sea Essex
Ideal places for sandcastle building and paddling
North
Scarborough South Bay Scarborough North Yorkshire
St Annes Pier Lancashire
Cullercoats Bay North Tyneside
South
Burnham-on-Sea Somerset
Littlehampton Coastguard West Sussex
Worthing Town Beach West Sussex
Pelham Beach Hastings East Sussex
Teignmouth Town Devon
Combe Martin Beach Devon
Viking Bay, Broadstairs Kent
Ramsgate Main Sands Kent
Walpole Bay Kent
Dymchurch Beach Kent
Jubilee Beach Southend on Sea Essex
Bell Wharf Beach Leigh-on-Sea Southend on Sea Essex
Clacton on Sea, West Beach Essex
Clacton on Sea, Martello Bay Essex
Frinton on Sea, Frinton Beach Essex
Walton on the Naze, Albion Beach Essex
Places for a nice seaside stroll
South
Herne Bay East Canterbury Kent
Reculver Canterbury Kent
Bexhill on Seas East Sussex
Cooden Beach East Sussex
Harwich Beach Essex
Walton, The Naze Essex
Kessingland Suffolk
Southwold Denes Suffolk