Suffolk Beaches Amongst Best in Country

East Suffolk’s beaches have once again received national awards, ranking them amongst the best in the country.

Each year, the country’s best beaches are awarded Blue Flags and Seaside Awards and once again, four of East Suffolk’s beaches have been selected.

Southwold (Southwold Pier) has received combined Seaside Awards and Blue Flags whilst the beaches at Lowestoft South of Claremont Pier (bathing / resort) and Kessingland (non-bathing) have received Seaside Awards.

Cllr Sarah Whitelock, East Suffolk’s cabinet member for Communities, Leisure and Tourism said: “We are delighted to once again receive these national awards which highlight the quality of East Suffolk’s beaches and place them amongst the best in the country. We work hard to help maintain the beauty and cleanliness of our beaches, and the district as a whole, and we are also incredibly grateful to the network of volunteers who give up their time to keep our beaches litter-free all year round. East Suffolk's amazing, as these prestigious awards show and we look forward to seeing people enjoying our beaches this summer.”

In total 150 sites – made up of 148 beaches, along with a marina and an inland bathing water - in England have been presented with awards recognising the quality of the sites, the way they are managed and the facilities they offer to visitors. 72 beaches across the country met the high standards required for a Blue Flag award - the world’s most recognised award for beaches, marinas and inland bathing waters.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “These awards are a credit to the collective efforts of beach managers, volunteers, residents and businesses who have worked tirelessly to maintain, protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular beaches and we’d like to take this moment to recognise and applaud them.

“Visitors to a beach flying a Blue Flag 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 is the world’s most recognised award for beaches and marinas and, to qualify, each applicant must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria.

“Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.”

Blue Flag is an international award managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education and is presented to well-managed beaches with excellent water quality and environmental education programmes. This is the fifth consecutive year in which Felixstowe has received the Blue Flag and the third consecutive year for Southwold.

 The Seaside Award, run by Keep Britain Tidy, recognises and rewards beaches in England that achieve the highest standards of beach management and, in the case of bathing beaches, meet the required standards for water quality and other specified criteria.