2019 England Blue Flag Beach Awards
It’s that time of the year when the Blue Flag beaches are announced. 2019 has seen 71 English beaches get the Blue Flag Award which is 6 up on last year and we also have 137 Seaside awards.
Just click on a title to go to our beach information pages.
England Blue Flag Awards
East Midlands Blue Flags
5 winners
- Ingoldmells South, Skegness
- Central Beach, Mablethorpe
- Central Beach, Skegness
- Central Beach, Sutton on Sea
- Cleethorpes Central
East of England Blue Flags
12 Winners
- Cromer
- Sea Palling
- Sheringham
- Mundesley
- East Runton
- West Runton
- Dovercourt Bay
- Brightlingsea
- East Beach, Shoeburyness
- Shoebury Common
- Thorpe Bay
- Three Shells, Southend
North East Blue Flags
6 Winners
North West Blue Flags
No Winners
Yorkshire Blue Flags
1 Winner
South East Blue Flags
15 Winners
- Tankerton, Whitstable
- Beachlands, Hayling Island
- Sheerness
- Minnis Bay, Margate
- West Bay, Margate
- St Mildreds, Margate
- Botany Bay, Broadstairs
- Margate Bay Beach, Margate
- Stone Bay, Broadstairs
- West Wittering Beach
- Brighton Central
- Hove Lawns (see Brighton beach above)
- Marina, St Leonards
- Minster Leas
- Westbrook Bay
South West Blue Flags
33 Winners
- Blackpool Sands, Dartmouth
- Sandbanks Peninsular, Poole
- Shore Road, Poole
- Canford Cliffs, Poole
- Branksome Chine, Poole
- Alum Chine, Bournemouth
- Manor Steps, Bournemouth
- Durley Chine, Bournemouth
- Fisherman’s Walk, Bournemouth
- Southbourne, Bournemouth
- Gyllyngvase, Falmouth
- Carbis Bay, St Ives
- Porthmeor, St Ives
- Great Western Beach, Newquay
- Sandy Bay, Exmouth
- Exmouth East
- Croyde Bay
- Swanage Central
- Dawlish Warren
- Teignmouth Town
- Porthtowan
- Trevone Bay, Padstow
- Widemouth Bay, Bude
- Challaborough Bay, Bigbury
- Breakwater Beach, Brixham
- Meadfoot Beach, Torquay
- Oddicombe Beach, Torquay
- Broadsands, Torbay
- Preston Sands
- Torre Abbey
- Westward Ho!
- Weymouth Central
England Blue Flag Awards
East Midlands Blue Flags
4 winners
- Ingoldmells South, Skegness
- Central Beach, Mablethorpe
- Central Beach, Skegness
- Central Beach, Sutton on Sea
East of England Blue Flags
12 Winners
- Cromer
- Sea Palling
- Sheringham
- Mundesley
- East Runton
- West Runton
- Dovercourt Bay
- Brightlingsea
- Southwold Pier
- East Beach, Shoeburyness
- Shoebury Common
- Thorpe Bay
North East Blue Flags
6 Winners
North West Blue Flags
1 Winner
Yorkshire Blue Flags
1 Winner
South East Blue Flags
15 Winners
- Tankerton, Whitstable
- Beachlands, Hayling Island
- Sheerness
- Minnis Bay, Margate
- West Bay, Margate
- St Mildreds, Margate
- Botany Bay, Broadstairs
- Leysdown-on-sea Beach, Isle Of Sheppey
- Margate Bay Beach, Margate
- Stone Bay, Broadstairs
- West Wittering Beach
- Brighton Central
- Hove Lawns (see brighton beach above)
- Marina, St Leonards
- Minster Leas
South West Blue Flags
26 Winners
- Blackpool Sands, Dartmouth
- Sandbanks Peninsular, Poole
- Shore Road, Poole
- Canford Cliffs, Poole
- Branksome Chine, Poole
- Alum Chine, Bournemouth
- Durley Chine, Bournemouth
- Fisherman’s Walk, Bournemouth
- Southbourne, Bournemouth
- Gyllyngvase, Falmouth
- Carbis Bay, St Ives
- Porthmeor, St Ives
- Great Western Beach, Newquay
- Sandy Bay, Exmouth
- Swanage Central
- Dawlish Warren
- Polzeath
- Porthtowan
- Trevone Bay, Padstow
- Widemouth Bay, Bude
- Challaborough Bay, Bigbury
- Breakwater Beach, Brixham
- Meadfoot Beach, Torquay
- Oddicombe Beach, Torquay
- Westward Ho!
- Weymouth Central
Blue Flag is a mark of a quality beach
The Blue Flag beach award is widely recognised as an indication for a good quality beach and has moved on a lot since it started in France in 1985. Most people think a Blue Flag indicates a clean and safe water but although it does, it actually measures a beach against a lot more criteria:
- Environmental Education and Information. This includes displaying details on the Blue Flag award along with details on the water quality, a beach map including locations of facilities.
- Water Quality. This is about the water being safe to swim in and water samples are taken at regular points during the bathing season and the year gets an overall grade. Each of our beach pages gives a summary of the current water quality.
- Environmental Management. This category is about managing the beach and keeping it clean along with facilities like toilets being available to the public.
- Safety and Services. This is a big one for families with children as a beach should be patrolled by lifeguards. Other criteria include the availability of drinking water and accessibility features.
Not having a Blue Flag does not mean a beach should be avoided as the tough criteria described above is only really suited to large seaside resorts and smaller villages and remote bays can’t offer the same level of management. This means they just don’t participate in the scheme and local countries have their own awards to recognise some of these other beaches.
The blue flag certification process is carried out every year by local quality organisations and for our beaches in the UK the annual results are announced at the end of May or beginning of June.
For more information and details of the assessment criteria visit the Blue Flag Award website.
For a full list of blue flag beaches see our list at UK Blue Flag Beaches.