2022 England Blue Flag Beach Awards
It’s that time of the year when the Blue Flag beaches are announced. 2022 has seen 80 English beaches get the Blue Flag Award, four more than a year ago and we then have 128 Seaside Awards beaches.
Blue Flag and Seaside Award winners stretch across much of the country, though the South West has the most with 36 blue flag beaches in Cornwall and Devon which is 3 up on last year.
Just click on a title to go to our beach information pages.
England Blue Flag Awards
East Midlands Blue Flags
3 winners
East of England Blue Flags
15 Winners
- Sheringham
- West Runton
- East Runton
- Cromer
- Mundesley
- Sea Palling
- Felixstowe South
- Dovercourt Bay
- Brightlingsea
- East Beach, Shoeburyness
- Shoebury Common
- Thorpe Bay
- Three Shells, Southend
- Westcliff Bay, Southend
- Southwold
North East Blue Flags
7 Winners
North West Blue Flags
No Winners
Yorkshire Blue Flags
2 Winners
South East Blue Flags
17 Winners
- Minster Leas
- Sheerness
- Leysdown
- Tankerton, Whitstable
- Minnis Bay, Margate
- West Bay, Margate
- St Mildreds, Margate
- Margate Bay Beach, Margate
- Botany Bat, Broadstairs
- Joss Bay, Broadstairs
- Stone Bay, Broadstairs
- Marina, St Leonards
- Brighton Central
- Hove Lawns (see Brighton beach above)
- West Wittering Beach
- Beachlands, Hayling Island
- Sandown, Isle of Wight
South West Blue Flags
36 Winners
- Southbourne, Bournemouth
- Fisherman’s Walk, Bournemouth
- Manor Steps, Bournemouth
- Durley Chine, Bournemouth
- Alum Chine, Bournemouth
- Branksome Chine, Poole
- Canford Cliffs, Poole
- Shore Road, Poole
- Sandbanks Peninsular, Poole
- Swanage Central
- Weymouth Central
- Sidmouth Town
- Exmouth East
- Dawlish Warren
- Teignmouth Town
- Oddicombe Beach, Torquay
- Broadsands, Torbay
- Breakwater Beach, Brixham
- Blackpool Sands, Dartmouth
- Gyllyngvase, Falmouth
- Porthminster, St Ives
- Porthmeor, St Ives
- Carbis Bay, St Ives
- Porthtowan
- Trevone Bay, Padstow
- Polzeath
- Crooklets, Bude
- Widemouth Bay, Bude
- Westward Ho!
- Meadfoot Beach
- Preston Sands
- Torre Abbey Beach
- Avon, Christchurch
- Highcliffe, Christchurch
- Friars Cliff, Christchurch
- Seaton
Blue Flag is a mark of a quality beach
The Blue Flag beach award is widely recognised as an indication of a good quality beach and has moved on a lot since it started in France in 1985. Most people think a Blue Flag indicates 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, and a beach map including locations of facilities.
- Water Quality. This is about the water is 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 the 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.