Beach named among UK’s best and it’s less than an hour away
CLEETHORPES NOT ENTERED INTO PRESTIGIOUS BLUE FLAG AND SEASIDE AWARDS DUE TO ISSUES WITH BATHING WATER QUALITY
PEOPLE living in Grimsby will need to travel a bit further afield if they want to spend the day at an award winning blue flag beach.
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has this week announced the winners of the prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards for summer 2022 which saw Cleethorpes not entered due to issues with its bathing water quality.
The Blue Flag is an international award that considers factors such as the quality of water, the facilities it offers, safety, environmental education and management. The prestigious award criteria means visitors arriving at a blue flag beach will know it is considered one of the best in the world.
North East Lincolnshire Council decided not to enter Cleethorpes this year. The beach had won last year and in 2019.
The council confirmed they did not make an application for Cleethorpes because the water quality is only ‘good’ when it needs to be ‘excellent’ to meet the criteria. Although the rating is in relation to 2021, recent events have seen the downgrade in water quality continue, including a sewage leak in the North Sea.
A sewage pollution warning was issued by the Environmental Agency in April this year, stating that it was not safe to bathe in it. In regard to Cleethorpes’ omission from the list, a spokesperson for the Council said: “Bathing water for the main beach in Cleethorpes was rated ‘good’ by the Environment Agency for 2021. It needs to be rated ‘excellent’ when making an application for Blue Flag status.
“Cleethorpes is a hugely popular destination and we take pride in making it one of the best seaside resorts on the East coast. We actively monitor water quality and we work with our partners to make improvements, but many factors that affect it are out of our control, such as flooding and extreme weather. As a resort at the mouth of the Humber, the second largest estuary in the UK, Cleethorpes can also be affected by events happening upstream and sometimes in other major rivers such as the Don, Ouse and Trent, which all flow into the Humber and the North Sea.”
People in Grimsby will have to pack up their car for a day trip to Central Beach, Mablethorpe around 30 miles away to spend the day on their nearest blue flag beach. Here you will find a sandy beach with everything you expect, including donkey rides, fairground, beach side cafes, pubs and ice cream kiosks, crazy golf and much more.
From Mablethorpe, you can venture just a couple miles further to Sutton on Sea which also won blue flag status. - around 32 miles from Grimsby. Here you can enjoy a great family day out without the hustle and bustle of a busier seaside resort. You can still find traditional attractions here and parking just a short walk from the beach.
If you want to venture even further, the next nearest is Skegness Central Beach - around 39 miles from Grimsby. A large resort, there’s plenty to do from arcades, fairground rides, shops, donkey rides, Natureland Seal Sanctuary, countless fish and chip shops, Skegness Aquarium, Tower Gardens, crazy golf and much, much more.
Councillor Martin Foster, Portfolio Holder for Operational Services at East Lindsey District Council which manages the beaches said “We are proud to say to all our residents and visitors that our beaches have retained their Blue Flag Awards for 2022. The status provides confidence to local people, as well as new and returning visitors, that our beaches are well maintained and meet water quality standards.
“This success would not have been possible without our dedicated neighbourhoods’ team that work early mornings until late evenings, seven days a week, to ensure our beaches look their best. We must also thank the many volunteers who regularly undertake litter picks on our beaches, doing a tremendous job.
“It takes a lot of hard work to keep our beaches in the best possible condition and they are vital to our visitor economy. Clean beaches help to draw huge numbers of visitors every year, which helps to support our local businesses and helps to maintain and create jobs for local people.”
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.”
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
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive